Insitu has introduced the Inceptor small unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which will provide the public safety market with real-time video and stable, high-resolution imagery.

The short-range tactical rotorcraft system can be available when first responders need it. Inceptor’s compact size fits in the trunk of a car and is easy to launch and recover in almost any environment. Inceptor is highly tolerant to sustained winds and wind gusts, achieving stable aerial imagery through an advanced onboard control system.

“Inceptor will help first responders locate and identify natural and human public safety threats, keeping people out of harm’s way,” said Insitu Vice President of Sales and Marketing Ryan Hartman. “We’re excited to add a small rotorcraft to our family of field-proven unmanned systems.”

Inceptor speeds and manoeuvres at the touch of a button. Operator training and workload is minimised through a streamlined design and user interface. Video imagery is transmitted to the hand-held ground control station and distributed to decisionmakers for real-time viewing.

One person can carry and operate a complete system reliably and safely in adverse weather conditions, providing instant imagery anytime an aerial vantage point is needed. The rotorcraft weighs less than four pounds, hovers quietly overhead for more than 20 minutes and can patrol at speeds up to 38 kmph. The operator uses a small portable control unit to command it to hover or fly in any direction at varying speeds.