This unmanned air vehicle prototype was designed
in 1994 as a reconnaissance drone for the U. S. Navy. Scaled
Composites, Inc. (Burt Rutan's company) manufactured the carbon-fiber
airframe in 1995. The tandem engine design takes off vertically
and transitions to horizontal flight. The forward engine can
be shut down to extend endurance during loiter missions. The
aircraft transitions to vertical flight to land on the four energy-absorbing
struts. The Sea Bat used a flight control computer with gyros,
accelerometers, GPS, air data and acoustic sensors. The program
ended in 1997.
Specifications
Type: VTOL Aerial Recon
Wing Span: 10 feet
Length: 6 feet
Gross Weight: 200 pounds
Empty Weight Equipped (with full oil): 115 pounds
Fuel: 35 pounds
Payload: 50 pounds
Power Plant: 2 Alvis AR 731 Single Rotary Engines; Maximum Continuous
60 HP
Maximum Airspeed (VNE): 180 Knots
Rate of Climb at Sea Level: 1,500 feet
Maximum Ceiling: 10,000 feet
Hover Ceiling IGE @ GW: 4,500 feet
Hover Ceiling OGE @ GW: 4.250 feet
The aircraft entered flight testing in 1995. It flew a modular
payload with IR and EO sensors. It was launched and recovered
autonomously with a GPS Navigator.