---
# System prepended metadata

title: SearchWing UAV – Preliminary Datasheet

---

# SearchWing UAV – Preliminary Datasheet

Release V4, Date: 07.12.2022

The SearchWing UAV is an unmanned aerial vehicle that searches for boats at sea. The UAV is designed to be operated by the regular crews on the rescue vessels. It takes GPS tagged photos ready for download and analysis after landing.

**Key features:**

* Range: 80 - 120 km
* Flight time: 1h - 1.5 h
* Max. area covered: 160 km² - 240 km²
* Ground resolution: 20 cm / pixel

## Hardware

* Wingspan: 1300 mm
* Length: 830 mm
* Weight: 2.1 kg
* Max. speed: 100 km/h
* Cruise speed: 60 km/h
* Max. range: 80 km (LiPo) / 120 km (LiIon)
* Max. area covered: 160 km² - 240 km²
* IP rating: IP67 (waterproof)
* Wind resistance: 20 kt
* Sensors
    * GPS
    * IMU
    * Magnetometer
    * Internal humidity
* Telemetry range: 25 km


### Battery options

1. Lithium-Polymer
    * 4S 10.000 mAh
    * 80 km range
    * 1.5 h Flight time
2. Lithium-Ion
    * 4S 10.000 mAh
    * 120 km range
    * 2 h Flight time

### Payload

* Dual Raspberry Pi Camera v2
    * Sony IMX219 Sensor
    * Resolution: 8 Megapixel / 3280 x 2464 Pixel
    * Mounted at +30° Roll and -30° Roll
    * Horizontal field of view: 62.2°
    * Vertical field of view: 48.8°
    * Image rate: 1 image / 2 seconds

![](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/rJjKErRDj.png)
* Maximum expected coverage in one flight

    * At 550m altitude
    * Sweep width: 2 km
    * Lithium-Polymer battery option: 160 km²
    * Lithium-Ion battery option: 240 km²
* Ground resolution
    * At 550m altitude
    * 20 cm / pixel

## Groundcontrol station

### Hardware

* ASUS TUF Gaming FX505DV Laptop
* Oukitel RT2 IP67 tablet
* FrSky Taranis X9D+ remote
* Antennabox + 868 MHz 5dBi telemetry antenna 
* 150W Charging station

### Software

#### Flight control tablet

* Mission planing and control using [QGroundcontrol](http://qgroundcontrol.com/)

#### Ground station laptop

* Image Download after landing using WIFI
* Automatic boat detection
    * Deep Learning based & GPU-assisted boat detection 
    * Temporal filtering using Kalman filter based Multi-Object-Tracking
* Software to assist human based image analysis
    * Multi-User capable
    * Accessable from all computers on the ship via browser
    * Visualizes results from automatic boat detection


### Required installation onboard

* 230V Power Supply for Laptop, battery charger and image download box
* 868 MHz 5dBi telemetry antenna (819 mm vertical length, 580g) installed outdoor
* Antenna Ground Box close to antenna with 24V supply via PoE (300mm x 300mm x 180mm)
* Clean water to rinse the plane from salt water

## Transport

* 2 x Aluminium box: 900 mm x 495 mm x 367 mm
* Lithium batteries: dangerous goods, special care

## Standard operating procedures (SOPs)

### Daily preparations preparations

#### Goal

Having planes ready for daily operation

#### Procedure

Coordinate possible flights in daily meeting. Get drone parts from storage. Prepare plane and ground control for takeoff. 

#### Responsibilites and qualification

**Remote pilot** prepares UAS.

**Bridge/SAR OPs** acknowledges mission readiness.

### Reconnaissance flight for case reported by sources

#### Goal

Gather intelligence about a potential case reported by a source as fas as possible.

#### Procedure

* darstellung via zeitstrahl

Bridge reports location to pilot. 15 minutes after report takeoff of UAV. After max. 1.5 h landing next to mother ship. Recovery by RHIB crew 5 minutes after touchdown. 10 minutes after recovery first intelligence. 20 minutes later all images+automatically detected boats available for human analysis. 2h 20min max. time of procedure.

#### Responsibilites and qualification

**Bridge/SAR OPs** reports position and coordinates between RHIB crew and pilot.

**Remote pilot** operates UAV/UAS and provides bridge/SAR OPs with intelligence about potential cases. Operates image analysis.

**RHIB crew** recovers UAV from water after touchdown or failed takeoff.

### Search for unknown cases

#### Goal

Find cases without prior knowledge about potential cases. Maximize covered area.

#### Procedure

Bridge reports area to pilot. 15 minutes after report takeoff of UAV. After max. 1.5 h landing next to mother ship. Recovery by RHIB crew 5 minutes after touchdown. 10 minutes after recovery first intelligence. 20 minutes later all images+automatically detected boats available for human analysis. 2h 20min max. time of procedure.

#### Responsibilites and qualifications

**Bridge/SAR OPs** reports search area and coordinates between RHIB crew and pilot.

**Remote Pilot** operates UAV/UAS and provides bridge/SAR OPs with intelligence about potential cases. Operates image analysis.

**RHIB crew** recovers UAV from water after touchdown or failed takeoff.

-----------------------------------------
# old unused stuff...

## Flight preparation

Fig. 3: Flightplanning with QGroundControl

The flightplan is defined before launch on the laptop and then transferred to the drone via the telemetric link. The drone will follow the flight plan fully autonomously. The plane contains a battery that can be charged with supplied charge equipment. The depicted example flight plan with
a total flight distance of 50km covers an area of 100 km² on the ground at at an image ground resolution of 20cm/pixel. The target flight altitude is 550 m.

## Launch procedure and operation

The SearchWing drone is launched by hand from the vessel. During flight, the position of the drone can be monitored via the telemetric link. The flight can be modified or aborted at any time during flight. The drone will then return to the ship.

## Landing procedure

After the flight plan is finished, the drone returns to the rescue vessel and will circle in a distance of 100m from the vessel at an altitude of 50m. After the landing procedure is triggered, the drone will land in a distance of 10m-30m from the vessel in the water. The SearchWing drone is waterproof and will stay afloat. The drone is then retrieved with the RIB.

## Legal situation

The UAV is operated beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). BVLOS operation requires special permission by the competent authorities in th EU. Operation is therefore restricted to areas outside territorial waters.

Pilot licence, insurance and registration is nonetheless strongly recommended.

## Further Information

Website: https://searchwing.org
Info Movie: https://youtu.be/9zOFeO0gwQQ
Wiki: https://wiki.searchwing.org

## Contact:

Email: contact@searchwing.org
Phone:
