Platform Aerospace’s Vanilla UAS Surpasses 1,000 Miles In Arctic Environmental Mission

Platform Aerospace has successfully completed an Arctic flight campaign for a Department of Defense (DoD) customer. The Vanilla Ultra-Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) executed two flights, totalling over 65 hours in the Arctic Circle, including operations north of the 78th parallel.

In September 2023, Vanilla carried a meteorological sensor suite to measure environmental conditions in the Arctic and validate its aircraft icing detection systems and mitigation strategy. Operating from Deadhorse, Alaska, Vanilla flew over 500 miles toward the North Pole and back, covering a round-trip of over 1,000 miles in 17 hours.

Following this, Vanilla continued data collection using multiple 200-mile laps for another 22 hours. This resulted in a single un-refueled flight of 39 total hours. A second flight lasting 26 hours increased Vanilla’s flight time to 65 hours operating north of the 70th parallel.

During the flights, cloud and icing warnings were provided in real-time to UAS operators. The Atmospheric Sensing and Prediction Sensor (ASAPS) from PEMDAS Technologies & Innovation took high-quality measurements of pressure, temperature, and humidity to provide icing potential data to operators. This system was invaluable for both scientific objectives and for giving operators confidence in the actual conditions around the aircraft.

"Vanilla’s performance is ideal for environmental monitoring missions, such as this demonstration of flying multiple sensors to the polar ice cap," says Dr. Dan Edwards, Chief Technology Officer of Platform Aerospace.

Operational Challenges and Adaptations

Takeoffs were performed under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) with a chase escort to warning area airspace. On both flights, conditions at the airfield unexpectedly deteriorated to Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). In one instance, Vanilla stayed on mission for an additional 22 hours awaiting better weather before filing an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan for the area navigation (RNAV) approach with the assistance of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

This event illustrates Vanilla’s Ultra-Long Endurance capability to mitigate bad weather and demonstrated integration with the processes and procedures of the National Airspace System (NAS).

About Platform Aerospace

Platform Aerospace is a service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) specializing in disruptive UAS technologies and rapid aircraft modification. The company is a 30-year-old aviation engineering and manufacturing firm and owner of the world-record-setting Group 3 UAS, Vanilla.

For more information, please contact [email protected] or visit their website at Platform Aerospace.