Triad RF Systems has secured a seven-figure design and production order from a prominent South Asian aerospace and defense company for the THPR1039, Triad’s new, DTC-based, high-power radio system designed for use in Group 2 unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

The THPR1039 is a 10 W (5 W per channel), L-Band, dual MIMO radio that is used for long-distance UAS Video and C2 links, which achieves RF link ranges in excess of 50 km when used in both the ground and air radio segments. This unit is an expansion of Triad’s High-Power Radio System product line. It combines a DTC Solo8 MIMO radio, high-power amplification and custom filtering into a single, easy-to-integrate package.

Group 2 UAS require the lightest payloads possible to maximize their flight endurance and mission duration. For this aircraft, Triad was given a directive to minimize the weight of the radio system. Triad’s engineering met this challenge by designing the THPR1039’s housing from magnesium alloy, instead of the aluminum alloys traditionally used for housing RF systems. A final weight of 32 oz (908 g) was achieved for the product, and amounted to a ~33 percent weight reduction compared with an aluminum-housed unit.

This effort highlights the engineering group’s continual focus on exploring new ways to design RF systems. Innovation in materials, RF system design and manufacturing help Triad meet performance goals and SWaP limitations that keep Triad ahead of the competition. 

“When it comes to UAVs, every gram of payload matters,” said Dean Handrinos, co-founder/partner of Triad, “Our engineering team is not risk-averse when it comes to meeting extremely stringent size and weight requirements. These efforts are reflected in our products, as we deliver some of the smallest and lightest high-power RF systems in the industry.”