Video

Just as Lockheed Martin and Saunders Roe used to trial seaplane concepts with reduced scale, dynamically representative reduced-scale and unmanned vehicles (UAVs) have been pushed beyond the edges of the flight envelope in extreme conditions and through extreme handling scenarios. This has established Centaur operating capabilities far beyond those of conventional seaplanes.

The following video clips show the extreme capabilities and robustness of the designs, all developed by Centaur Seaplane plc's own design team.

Preliminary trials (1.3MB)

Preliminary trials

The GULL 36 is launched off and recovered to the beach through mild surf. Data collected serves both precision automated flight and design validation. This system uses ground station and autopilot from Blue Bear Systems Research Ltd.

GULL 24 touch and go

Touch and go

GULL can land and take-off repeatedly during a sortie, for use of sub-surface sensors and to achieve great persistence in detection/observation roles.

Low and high speed

Low and high speed

Large flap in slipstream aids low speed for take-off and landing in rough conditions. The narrow planing surface with no transverse step gives excellent cruise speed and efficiency.

Flying

Flying

Aerodynamic interference between the wing and center-section make the Centaur 6 pitch correctly and safely with changes of flap and power setting.

Glassy-water landing

Glassy-water landing

Assume a miss-judged glassy-water landing. Note that the elevator is neutral and the flat attitude with which it 'arrives', enough to destroy many conventional seaplanes.

Rough-water take-off

Rough-water take-off

A progressive increase in power but otherwise no control input until trimming after take-off. The waves are breaking occasionally and scale to about 0.8m (2.5 ft).

Extreme waves

Extreme waves

These waves scale to about 1.2 m (4 ft). Note how slight the pitching is and the lack of vertical accelerations. Also note the lack of deceleration as it cuts through waves at speed

Wings folded

Wings folded

With wings folded (hydraulically) it will taxi at over 20 knots in displacement mode. It will maneuver at 4 to 6 knots with an independent 360-degree thruster.