CiS says it has completed validation testing of ORKA Dock Mini, a compact autonomous launch and recovery system designed for integration with small uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs) and pickup trucks.
The company said the final flight tests were conducted at night, ahead of delivery of the first system to an undisclosed naval customer.
According to CiS, ORKA Dock Mini is intended as a quick-to-deploy base to launch and recover its ORKA multi-mission drone. The company said the system has an 80cm by 80cm footprint and is designed to support flight operations whether the host platform is stationary or moving, including at sea.
CiS said the validation programme also demonstrated ORKA operating on a tether, providing a continuous external power supply to the dock for extended operations. In conventional flight configuration, the company said ORKA has an endurance of up to 75 minutes and a maximum speed of 100 kilometres per hour.
CiS founder and CEO Tom Kaufmann said the Dock Mini repackages features from the larger, fully enclosed ORKA Dock into a smaller form factor, and can be installed on small platforms or carried by pickup truck. He said the tests were completed ahead of delivery to the naval customer.
CiS said ORKA Dock Mini is designed to operate by day or night, in all weather conditions and in sea states up to 5. The company said intended applications include persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; force protection; perimeter monitoring; convoy overwatch; harbour security; and the protection of vessels and critical infrastructure.
Designed for integration with small USVs, UGVs and pickup trucks, ORKA Dock Mini is intended to provide a self-contained base for launching, recovering, recharging and powering ORKA tactical drones.
