Primoco UAV. Primoco UAV is an unmanned aerial vehicle for civil and military use, designed and manufactured in the Czech Republic. The first flight took place on 31 July 2015 and the UAV One 100 entered serial production in January 2016. In 2020, the manufacturer released an upgraded version of the One 150, which features higher engine power and better flight characteristics.

The Primoco UAV One 150 is a single-hull mid-wing with twin vertical tail surfaces. In the rear part of the fuselage there is a four-cylinder, four-stroke internal combustion engine of 340 cm³ capacity with propeller in a pusher arrangement. The unmanned aircraft is also equipped with an autopilot (control system), on-board electronics and payload, which is specified according to customer needs. Primoco UAV One has short take-off and landing capability (STOL).The aircraft is mainly constructed of carbon and glass composites. It uses a fixed three-wheel nose landing gear for take-off and landing. It is operated by one pilot and one tracking system operator.

The Primoco UAV One 150 UAV received an EASA Light Unmanned Certificate (LUC) in February 2022 and the manufacturer is completing certification to military standards NATO STANAG 4703.

The primary use of Primoco UAVs is in civilian air operations, border and coastal protection, oil and gas pipeline monitoring and calibration of airport radio beacons ILS/VOR/NDB/DME. They are also used in reconnaissance and training military missions. By the end of 2024, a total of 200 Primoco UAVs have been produced and they are used in four continents.

The aircraft manufacturer, Czech company Primoco UAV SE, has been publicly traded on the Prague Stock Exchange (Ticker Xetra PRIUA) since October 2018. The primary subscription of the company's shares raised CZK 63 million. In May 2021, the company successfully subscribed for new shares on the Start market and raised an additional CZK 90 million from investors. The free float thus rose to 22%. The majority owner of the company is its founder and CEO Ladislav Semetkovský, who holds 50% of the shares.

Since February 2019, Primoco UAV owns and operates Písek Krašovice Airport (ICAO LKPISK).

Operation and control

The UAV is operated from a Ground Control Station with a pilot and a flight operator. It can be manually controlled or run in fully automatic mode, where pre-programmed waypoints allow automatic takeoff, flight and landing. The aircraft also has additional safety modes which allow it to return to base or land in a safe area if communications are lost or faults occur.

The UAV has an S (ADSB IN/OUT) mode transponder which allows its flight path to be integrated into normal civilian airspace without special authorization. The equipment and aircraft can be transported in a light van..

Communications and monitoring
Secure communications via radio or satellite Starlink connections are built in for continuous transmission of video and sensor readings to a ground station. Onboard sensors include Infra-Red cameras, Optical cameras, Radar/Lidar and others to the operator's requirements.

Technical specifications

 Wingspan: 4.9 m
 Length: 3.7 m
 Maximum take-off weight: 150 kg
 Single piston engine 20 hp
 Composite construction
 Cruise speed: 120 km/h
 Maximum Distance: 1,500 km
 Endurance: 15 hours
 Payload: 1 – 30 kg
 Take-off/Landing length: 300 m

Equipment

 Optical cameras
 Infra-Red cameras
 Lidar
 Multispectral/hyperspectral camera
 On board S Mode Transponder
 12/24V accessory power
 Encrypted communications (Radio or Inmarsat)

Operators
 - 7 uses by GIAAN Group Sdn Bhd.
 
48 sponsored by Luxembourg as part of military aid.
18 sponsored by Germany as part of military aid

References

External links
 

Unmanned aerial vehicles of the Czech Republic