The DA62 MPP (multipurpose platform) is a new special mission aircraft developed by Diamond Aircraft Industries. Based on the DA62 twin-engine light aircraft, the DA62 MPP was unveiled at the 2017 Paris Air Show.
The aircraft is an ideal platform for law enforcement, search-and-rescue (SAR), land and coastal surveillance, disaster management, infrastructure and environmental monitoring missions.
DA62 MPP design and dimensions
The fixed-wing aircraft features a sleek all-carbon composite airframe with advanced aerodynamics. The fuselage is of monocoque construction with corrosion-resistant subsystems. The structure integrates new-generation passive safety technology to deliver high-performance and superior crew protection.
diamond-air.at
The ergonomically optimised cabin provides enough space to accommodate up to two pilots and two operators. The occupants can enter and exit the aircraft through two forward gull-wing doors. The fuselage also offers ample storage volume for mission equipment and systems.
diamond-air.at
The DA62 MPP has a length of 9.19m, height of 2.82m and a wingspan of 14.55m. It has an empty weight of 1,590kg and maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 2,300kg. The aircraft can carry a maximum payload of 710kg.
diamond-air.at
Garmin G1000 avionics in DA62 MPP
diamond-air.at
The cockpit of DA62 MPP integrates a state-of-the-art Garmin G1000 NXi avionics suite and fully integrated GFC700 three-axis automatic flight control system with flight director and yaw damper.
diamond-air.at
The Garmin G1000 integrated flight deck is equipped with high-resolution primary and multifunction displays, GMC/GCU remote controllers, an air data computer, an air data and attitude heading reference system (ADAHRS), a magnetometer and a transponder.
The avionics suite also integrates the SurfaceWatch runway identification and alerting technology, as well as an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) for traffic and subscription-free weather data.
The Garmin glass cockpit’s large displays plus the pilot’s slave unit that duplicates the observer’s screen. Source: monch.com
The production DA62 MPP will be equipped with Garmin G1000Nxi avionics with fully integrated three-axis GFC700 autopilot. With 10in primary flight and multifunction displays, G1000Nxi incorporates features such as wireless cockpit connectivity, including wireless database updates using Garmin Flight Stream, enhanced situational awareness with SurfaceWatch, visual approaches, and map overlay on the HSI.
The DA62 is equipped with the lightweight FLIR Systems Star SAFIRE 380 HD camera, digital line of sight (LOS) bi-directional datalink and beyond line of sight (BLOS) Ku-band SATCOM. It is fitted with the compact Garmin GWX 70 weather radar, UHF and VHF voice communication systems and the observer station is equipped with a Diamond in-house designed ABACUS 2.0 mission computer with a 17in full HD screen. The Carte Nav AIMS-HD situational awareness system is installed on the ABACUS 2.0 with integrated, on-board mission data recording. It is mission system software that process live video and data from cameras and other sensors including radar and the AIS global ship tracking system, and geo-references and displays that data in real-time in a customisable user interface. Combining sensor management with a variety of pre-mission planning, and post-mission review features it delivers enhanced situational awareness and improves mission effectiveness. Source: monch.com
Garmin GWX 70 weather radar
With its advanced solid-state transmitter design eliminating the need for life limited magnetron tubes, the GWX 70 — and GWX 70H that’s been made more rugged for helicopter operations — comprises the very latest and most reliable technology in onboard weather radar.
Scan with Doppler Accuracy
Bringing full-color storm cell tracking to your compatible Garmin multifunction display, this Doppler-capable weather avoidance tool combines excellent range and adjustable scanning profiles with precision target definition — for accurate, easy-to-interpret, weather analysis in the cockpit. With pilot-adjustable horizontal scan angles of up to 120°, you can easily focus scanning on the areas you want to watch, while vertical scanning lets you focus on storm tops, gradients and cell buildup at various altitudes. Plus, Weather Attenuated Color Highlight (WATCH™) can identify areas beyond the radar’s capability that may contain even more hazardous areas of precipitation.
Reduce Pilot Workload
On compatible displays, altitude compensated tilt in the GWX 70 reduces your workload by needing to manually adjust the radar’s tilt; simply set it once to the tilt angle you want, and it will automatically adjust with any change in altitude. Also, when interfaced with your aircraft’s analog gyro or AHRS system, the GWX 70 offers full radar stabilization to 30 degrees of pitch and roll. The GWX 70 also has a ground mapping mode that can assist in a number of applications — including navigation. Ground mapping mode provides a real-time depiction of the terrain below you. Source: garmin.com
Diamond Aircraft together with PIDSO developed an all-new antenna solution
Two Austrian high-tech companies, the aircraft manufacturer Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH and PIDSO-Propagation Ideas & Solutions GmbH, producer of antennas, jointly developed a brand-new antenna solution.
For the first time reception of S-band and C-band frequencies has been combined in just one antenna, whereas until now two antennas were needed. Diamond Aircraft was in the need for such an antenna solution for its special mission aircraft DA42 MPP and DA62 MPP and found the perfect partner in PIDSO. Source: diamond-air.at
Special mission systems aboard DA62 MPP
The nose section of the aircraft houses electro-optical (EO)/infrared (IR) turrets with a maximum weight of up to 100kg.
Star SAFIRE 380-HDc
diamond-air.at
Long Range Performance in a Compact System
Introducing the Star SAFIRE 380-HDc, the first in a new class of compact, high performance, stabilized, HD imaging systems specifically engineered for helicopter ISR operators. Star SAFIRE 380-HDc provides an unmatched SWaP-C advantage for airborne applications that demand high performance ISR in a light-weight, compact package. Specifically tailored to excel at long range performance under extreme rotary aircraft conditions.
diamond-air.at
Size, Weight, Power & Clearance (SWAP-C) Advantage
- Lightweight (67lbs): Reduced weight minimizes center of gravity and balance concerns and increases mounting options and aircraft endurance
- Reduced Power Requirements (200W): Reduced power demands on the aircraft
- Built-in vibration isolation eliminates effects from high energy rotor blades
Long Range Performance
- 1000mm optics provide 2x-4x greater magnification for longer reach than other light weight systems – fly higher for stealth and safety, or see more detail farther away
- 4-axis stability delivers clear and sharp image detail
- Continuous zoom lenses for thermal, color & low light offers uninterrupted viewing
- Multi-FOV spotter enables instant / fast FOV changes to ensure nothing is missed
- “Dual-view” capability for setting one camera to wide for awareness while zooming in on the detail with another
- Real HD thermal and color provide extra resolution to enhance mission effectiveness
- SWIR effective at imaging through smog, smoke and haze providing imagery when other sensors cannot
3rd Generation FLIR Real HD
The Star SAFIRE 380-HDc is the newest member of the Star SAFIRE HD family of interchangeable and digital, high definition, single LRU imaging systems providing a full spectrum of ISR capabilities. At FLIR, when we say Real HD, we mean it. All our HD cameras have native, high definition digital components and outputs, and we maintain that fidelity throughout the system. FLIR doesn’t compress, resize, or scale HD imagery, neither is the data file converted to another format. The HD imagery stays digital from its capture all the way to the output – same resolution, uncompressed, clear and pristine the entire way through. Source flir.com
The under-fuselage can support the carriage of payloads of up to 50kg for maritime or land radar applications. The aircraft also integrates a newly designed satellite communication (SATCOM) pod carrying L, Ku and Ka-band antennae.
A larger version of the DA42 MPP and the latest of its Special Mission offerings, the DA62 MPP, like the DA42 MPP, can be equipped with three different sensors. A belly pod is designed to house a gamma ray spectrometer, for measuring radiation levels, either natural or from a nuclear powerplant or weapon. The wingtips can be outfitted with magnetic sensors sensitive to the earth’s magnetic field, capable of detecting unexploded. The nose boom hosts a low frequency sensor that can be employed in mineral exploration and/or locating sources of groundwater. Source ainonline.com
The aircraft is also equipped with an operator station with consoles for one or two operators to control and monitor the sensors on-board. The DA62MPP is also offered with special mission turnkey solutions.
diamond-air.at
The turnkey solutions include a fixed-wing remote sensing platform, airborne sensors, data-links, and land-based stations. The operators are also provided with global support, spares, tooling, transport and associated pilot, and operator and maintenance training.
diamond-air.at
diamond-air.at
Engines
diamond-air.at
The DA62 MPP is powered by two Austro Engine AE330 turbo-charged common-rail injected 2.0l jet fuel engines equipped with the single lever electronic engine control unit (EECU). Each engine is coupled to a MTV-6-R-C-F/CF 194-80 three-bladed constant speed propeller.
diamond-air.at
The engines are compatible with Jet A-1, Jet A, TS-1, RT, No. 3 jet fuel and JP-8 fuels. The aircraft burns 28l/h, while utilising 35% of power at loiter speed.
AE330 turbo-charged common-rail injected 2.0l jet fuel engines
austroengine.at
The most powerful heavy fuel engine in its class. Based on the successful and reliable AE300, the next Generation engine has evolved -the AE330. It provides more power than the AE300 at the same weight. Great fuel efficiency, reliability and easy operation make the AE330 the best aviation engine of today and the future.
The AE330 produces 132 kW for take off and maximum cruise power. The low vibration level and the single power lever design improve the engine operation comfort and take a lot of workload from the pilot. This makes the engine the ideal powerplant for flight schools, private pilots and even special mission aircraft. Source: austroengine.at
diamond-air.at
The aircraft can carry a maximum fuel load of 326l. Its main tank has the capacity to hold 189l, while the auxiliary tank can carry 137l of fuel.
The exhaust system on top of the power-plant blends fresh air with engine exhaust and uses the cowling as a shield to suppress the noise and IR signatures.
DA62 MPP performance
diamond-air.at
The aircraft has a minimum operational speed of 140km/h and can fly at a maximum speed of 352km/h. The maximum airborne endurance of the aircraft is 11.7 hours. The DA62 MPP can attain a maximum range of 1,356km at 50% power at 14,000ft.
diamond-air.at
The take-off distance required for the aircraft is 883m, while ground roll/landing distance needed for the landing operation is 441m/779m. The aircraft can reach a maximum altitude of 6,096m. It delivers superior performance than larger and expensive conventional turboprop aircraft.
diamond-air.at
Main material source airforce-technology.com
Images are from public domain unless otherwise stated
Thai Military and Asian Region 