Twin-Engine Imaging Platform Joins the Family for Ultra-High-Resolution Photography and Surveillance

Diamond Aircraft has announced the introduction of the DA62 MPP Guardian, their flagship twin equipped with the biggest and best assortment of surveillance and imaging equipment the marque could offer.

The manufacturer outfitted its first example with a Shotover M2 EO/IR camera system, UDT-04 airborne transmitter, and Shotover Augmented Reality System. The first of the Guardian breed was unveiled just in time for the Farnborough International Airshow, getting some eyes on Diamond's latest and greatest.

While Guardians will likely be custom-tailored to their operator's desires, Diamond's flagship cuts a pretty capable figure using its preferred assortment of Shotover gear. Using the M2 suite, operators can record standard 4K Ultra HD imagery, or take advantage of its infrared mode when scanning for particular targets of interest. With the UDT-04, they can send high-def video distances over 150 kilometers with minimal delay over an encrypted 4G uplink. The camera system can be controlled from afar, even without line-of-sight with the control system, thanks to that long-range comms gear. 

Additional comms can be installed since the DA62 MPP Guardian has its own STC for carrying large satellite uplink radomes, allowing operators to custom-tailor their unit to whatever brand and model of radome they prefer.

Perhaps most interestingly, the DA62 MPP Guardian's use of an augmented reality system makes it feel particularly futuristic in use: Sensor operators can use the system to overlay, giving pilots and sensor operators high-fidelity mapping and situational awareness in real street names, addresses, infrastructure, vehicles, and points of interest directly onto sensor video in real time, precluding them from having to visually scan between multiple monitors to maintain situational awareness. Shotover says that the system's intuitive design supports a variety of map display options, but as with any software-based tool there's always the option for growth as time goes on and customer feedback is included in the developmental cycle.

On top of it all, the DA62 offers some pretty attractive operating costs, burning standard Jet-A diesel fuel instead of much costlier (and rarer abroad) 100LL avgas. The MPP Guardian's exhaust is even routed above the engines in each nacelle, minimizing the aircraft's infrared signature when seen from below. Add in the airframe's composite manufacture and it becomes even better for the kinds of operators who want a nice, affordable, and subtle ISR aircraft.

FMI: www.diamondaircraft.com