Host said on behalf of Insitu , “ PNDC ’ s offerings to its members have provided Insitu with several valuable customer interactions .” In addition , Insitu has partnered directly with other members on projects .
He added , “ In February 2021 the liquid hydrogen ( LH2 ) flight tank , designed for Insitu ’ s ScanEagle3 UAV , completed liquid hydrogen fill , pressure , and vapor generation testing at Washington State University ’ s Hydrogen Properties for Energy Research ( HyPER ) laboratory . WSU is a fellow member of PNDC .”
He said that the tests with WSU were successful ; he provided a resource link for those interested in learning more at www . insitu . com / news / insitu-advances-its-fuel-cell-strategy .
As a PNDC member , Insitu is providing innovations to the defense market , such as the following , said Host :
44 NORTHWEST AEROSPACE NEWS
• “ Insitu pioneered our catapult and SkyHook launch and recovery methods that provide runway independence . Many competitor UAVs require runway infrastructure to launch and land .
• To further reduce our infrastructure footprint , Insitu is developing a hybrid vertical takeoff and landing ( VTOL ) UAV modeled on our Integrator aircraft that will eliminate the need for launch and recovery equipment while increasing portability . Insitu also pioneered the modular open system architecture ( MOSA ) Integrator UAV , which allows customers to mix-and-match payloads for each mission depending on their needs . Many UAVs limit the use of payloads to those manufactured by the aircraft developer .
Insitu ’ s efforts in the UAV market are shared by Hood Technology ( Hood River , Oregon ). Hood Technology manufactures innovations for the UAV , drone , and manned aircraft markets , search and rescue , defense applications , and fire mapping .
Nolan Ohmart , vice president of global growth for Hood Technology , said that their systems work on any aircraft . The lines of business include work in blade vibration and monitoring , UAV catapults , and stabilized imaging turrets .
Ohmart said they are successful with several lines of business . “ There are defense applications for many of the products , and the focus is on outreach and growing the name .”