Spark Target Drone

• Type
Aerial Target, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

• Development
The SPARK target drone, self-designed by NCSIST, is an aerial jet-power target and had been

developed in 2014. The drone is built mostly composite material with a symmetric airfoil platform. The

first generation model (SPARK I) applied a miniature turbojet engine with 80 lbs thrust and 40 litre

gasoline as propelling power. Performance was 130-230 knots with endurance about 30 minutes. The

integrated digital flight computer, GPS and MINS are all included in its avionics system, which can

provide autonomous way-point and pre-defined flight paths setting so that the drone can be flown

on accurate and reliable flight profiles to the range of distance over 100km. The drone is

pneumatically launched from land-based site and is recovered with a parachute.

• Description
The SPARK target drone is a versatile and cost-effective unmanned vehicle system. It uses a

commercially miniature jet-engine. The drone can be pneumatically launched from land-based site or

ship deck, and be recovered with a parachute. The SPARK’s payload systems include smoke oil,

passive radar Lens and infrared augmenter. On the other hand, the SPARK can also provide precise

and autonomous pre-defined way-point flight paths which allows the drone to simulate fighters,

unmanned aircrafts, and cruise missiles. It is suitable for fire test and anti-aircraft artillery training of

surface-to-air and air-to-air weapon systems.

• Specifications
1. Wing span: 1.98 meters

2. Length: 3.59 meters

3. Height: 0.61 meters

4. Maximum Launch Weight:110kg

5. Flight speed:130~330knots

6. Remote control Range:100km

7. Endurance:30~40 minutes

8. Flight altitude :15~6,100 meters

• Other features

1. Tracking and telemetry: programmable IGPS system

2. Guidance: manual and pre-defined way-point flight path

3. Typical payloads: Smoke oil, Passive radar augmentation, Infrared augmentation

• Status
In 2015, NCSIST plans to upgrade SPARK I flight performances and make it cost-effective, including

flight speed up to 330knots, lower flight to 50 feet, affords users the potential situation to replace or

compose variant payloads for mission requirements by carrying a number of internal and external

payloads such as smoke oil, passive radar enhancer, IR wing-tip flares, and corner reflector. At the

same time, pneumatically launched system will be updated and suitable for ground or shipboard

launch and easily adaptable to the customer’s existing transportation systems.