Lipán M3
{{Promotional|date=December 2023}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name= Lipán M3 | image= UAV Lipan II.JPG | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type= Unmanned aerial vehicle | national origin= Argentina | manufacturer= | designer= | first flight= | introduced= | retired= | status= | unit cost= | primary user= | more users= | number built= | developed from= | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Lipán M3 is a surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by Ejército Argentino (Argentine Army) since 1996. The Lipán M3 is also the first UAV developed in Latin America.[https://web.archive.org/web/20100603014536/http://nueveg.wordpress.com/2010/01/20/lipan-m3/ Lipán M3]
Design and development
The Lipán M3 has a 4.6m wingspan, a length of 3.55m and a weight of 60 kg. It has a top speed of 170 km / h, and a range of 40 km with autonomy of 5 hours. It is able to carry up to 20 kg of payload and reach 2,000 m in height. It is able to take off remotely under a programmed route with up to 1,000 waypoints, enabling it to fly autonomously. It is equipped with cameras Varifocal and infrared vision system, which are multiplexed to leave the video transmitter and receiving station ground control images. These signals are received by a directional antenna oriented manually by the movement of the aircraft. Data and information on the geographical characteristics of the scanned areas and weather conditions can also be obtained. It also has signaling devices of high resolution video, telemetry and global positioning data.
The Center INTI -Electronics and Informatics and Argentine Army jointly developed software for automatic tracking antenna for unmanned aircraft Lipán.[http://utic.inti.gob.ar/proyectos/sabercomo/tracking.html Nuevo software para naves no tripuladas] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111054933/http://utic.inti.gob.ar/proyectos/sabercomo/tracking.html |date=2012-11-11 }} The M3 takes off and lands Lipán manually, and only self to maintain altitude and speed.
On July 10 of 2008 was held at the Army Aviation Airfield in Campo de Mayo, the first night flight of Lipán M3. The test was conducted by staff of the Department of Research, Development and Production and Combat Intelligence Detachment 601.[http://www.ejercito.mil.ar/_Noticia/Jul10_lipan.asp Primer vuelo nocturno del ANT "LIPÁN M3"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130519032617/http://www.ejercito.mil.ar/_Noticia/Jul10_lipan.asp |date=2013-05-19 }}
Since 2010 the Argentine Army has four Lipán M3.
Possible future developments
The development of XM4 is underway, which is a more advanced variant of the Lipán M3. 6 units for experimentation in different geographic regions of Argentina have been made. This model has twice the autonomy of the Lipán M3, and is able to reach higher altitudes and has the ability to operate in fully automatic mode, landing and taking off as programmed.
The Argentina Navy is also working on the project Guardian, which is able to reach a speed of 120 km / h, a maximum height of 1,000 m with an operating range of 50 km.[http://www.defesanet.com.br/al1/arg_lipan.htm El Ejército argentino recibirá tres aviones no tripulados que pueden usarse para inteligencia] It is part of the first "Tactical Unmanned Air System". The first units have been designed during December 2007 to Combat Intelligence Detachment 601 of the Argentine Army.
Operators
;{{EGY}}
- Egyptian Air Force{{citation needed|date=May 2015}}
- Egyptian Army{{citation needed|date=May 2015}}
;{{ARG}}
Specifications (Lipán M3)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=
|prime units?=met
|genhide=
|crew=
|capacity=
|length m=3.55
|length ft=
|length in=
|length note=
|span m=4.6
|span ft=
|span in=
|span note=
|height m=
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=
|wing area note=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=60
|max takeoff weight lb=
|max takeoff weight note=
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=
|eng1 type=2 stroke
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=
|eng1 kn=
|eng1 lbf=
|eng1 note=
|prop blade number=2
|prop name=
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=170
|max speed mph=
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|max speed mach=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|minimum control speed kmh=
|minimum control speed mph=
|minimum control speed kts=
|minimum control speed note=
|range km=40
|range miles=
|range nmi=
|range note=
|combat range km=
|combat range miles=
|combat range nmi=
|combat range note=
|ferry range km=
|ferry range miles=
|ferry range nmi=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=5
|ceiling m=2000
|ceiling ft=
|ceiling note=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
|more performance=
|avionics=
}}