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Sabrewing航空公司生产的RH-1-A Rhaegal垂直起降空中货运无人机已经完成了首次悬停飞行，同时承载829磅（374千克）有效载荷创纪录，打破之前所有商用、垂直起降无人机“死升”的世界纪录。
Sabrewing Aircraft Company, Inc.’s RH-1-A Rhaegal VTOL air cargo drone has achieved its first hover flight while lifting a record-setting payload of 829-pound (374 kg) payload, shattering the previous world record for the ‘dead-lift’ of any commercial, vertical takeoff UAV.
这一预生产飞行器，以RG-1-A“阿尔法”航行器著称，是世界首架自动化货运飞行器，能够垂直或传统起飞，设计用于在任何天气条件下承运大量货物至世界各地。据Sabrewing表示，该航行器当前是市面上最佳、燃油和维修效率最高的货运无人机。
This pre-production air vehicle, also known as the RG-1-A “Alpha” aircraft, is the world’s first autonomous cargo aircraft capable of both vertical and conventional take-off and is designed to take tons of cargo to any location on Earth, in almost any weather. According to Sabrewing, it is currently the best-in-class, highest fuel and maintenance efficiency cargo UAV on the market.
Sabrewing执行董事Ed De Reyes表示，“我们对于达到该里程碑感到非常自豪。我们经历了漫长的旅程才达到如此，但我们不愿意在安全或设计方面妥协。我们的设计和测试团队以及我们的开发伙伴耗费了成千上万个小时才让这一里程碑抵达历史性成就。”
“We are extremely proud to have accomplished this milestone,” said Ed De Reyes, chairman and CEO of Sabrewing. “It’s been a long journey to get here, but we were unwilling to compromise safety or design. Our design and tests teams—and our development partners—invested tens of thousands of hours to make this milestone such a history-making success.”
对叶片，管道和飞机管道风扇防护罩形状的改进使每个管道产生的推力比原有设计产生的推力大30%。这些改进有助于飞机有效载荷能力纪录的打破。
Improvements to the blades, ducts, and shape of the shroud of the aircraft’s ducted fans allowed each duct to produce 30% more thrust than it was originally designed to provide. These improvements contributed to the aircraft’s ability to lift the record-shattering payload.
预生产原型机首飞重量超2700磅（1225千克），最大承重总重量（包含有效载荷）达3100磅（1406千克），海拔至2.2万英尺（6700米），飞行速度达200节（200海里/小时）。该航行器若以传统形式起飞，在同一航程、海拔、速度和效率条件下，推力足够承重2吨的货物。
The pre-production prototype aircraft weighed just over 2,700 pounds (1,225 kg) for the first flight and is capable of a maximum gross weight (with payload) of up to 3,100 pounds (1,406 kg) at altitudes up to 22,000 feet (6,700 meters) and 200 knots. When taking off conventionally, this aircraft has enough thrust to carry over 2 tons of cargo with the same range, altitude, speed, and efficiency.
De Reyes表示，“这仅仅是该航行器能承载的部分重量。然而，据证明，我们的飞行器能够在首飞时比以前任何货运无人机飞行所承载的更多货物。”
“This is only a fraction of what this aircraft can carry. But it proves that we’re able to lift more cargo on our maiden flight than any previous cargo UAV that has ever flown,” said De Reyes.
Rhaegal飞行器所使用的涡轮电动传动系统，是基于Safran直升机发动机的涡轮发动机Ariel 2E。Ariel可使用50%可持续航空燃料（SAF），转动电动发动机，产生将近1兆瓦的电能，为每个四管道风扇的电动机供电。
The Rhaegal aircraft uses a turbo-electric drivetrain based on Safran Helicopter Engines’ turbine-based motor, the Ariel 2E. The Ariel can use 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), and turns an electric generator which produces nearly 1 megawatt of electric energy which in turn then powers electric motors in each of the four ducted fans.
Sabrewing首席技术执行官Oliver Garrow表示，“与电池供能或涡轮推动，我们能够通过涡轮电动传动系统和管道风扇更有效地发动更多推能。Safran发动机目前已获准使用50%可持续航空燃料。”我们希望成为首个使用氢能的飞行器制造商，Safran将在未来几年完成其发动机测试。”
“We’re able to generate more propulsive energy –much more efficiently – with a turbo-electric drivetrain and ducted fans than with batteries or directly driven by the turbine,” said Oliver Garrow, Chief Technology Officer for Sabrewing. “The Safran motor is currently cleared to use 50% sustainable aviation fuel. We expect to be one of the first aircraft manufacturers to use hydrogen when Safran completes testing on their motor in the next couple of years.”
Rhaegal RG-1-B“Bravo”生产型航行器设计用于第一英里、中英里和最后一英里货物交付。据Sabrewing表示，该飞行器与其实力最接近的竞争者相比能够承载10倍多的货物，飞行航距5倍远，能够各种空域飞行-不管是交通最拥堵的城市还是位置最偏远的地方。
The Rhaegal RG-1-B “Bravo” production aircraft is designed for first, middle and last mile cargo deliveries. According to Sabrewing, it can lift over 10 times more cargo than its closest competitor, fly five times farther, and operate in any airspace – from the most congested city to the most remote location.
Rhaegal因其航程、燃料效率和易于维修能够为操作者开设新地点和利润中心。除了搜救、消防、救灾、药品配送（包括冷冻疫苗）、燃料和水资源运输的重型起重货物运输外还能够执行一系列任务。
Rhaegal is capable of opening new locations and profit centers for its operators, due to its range, fuel efficiency, and ease of maintenance. It is also capable of a range of missions besides heavy lift cargo – including search and rescue, firefighting, disaster relief, medical deliveries (including frozen vaccines), and fuel and water deliveries.
Rhaegal“Bravo”是当前唯一一个嫩能够起重10多个不同单位装载装置（ULD）货物集装箱的货运无人机，该些货物集装箱与航空货运使用的是同一种类。Rhaegal甚至可以在地面和空中为冷藏货物集装箱提供动力，货运空间超过675立方英尺（19立方米）。
The Rhaegal “Bravo” is currently the only cargo UAV capable of carrying over 10 different Unit Load Device (ULD) cargo containers –the same kind used by airlines for cargo. The Rhaegal can even power refrigerated cargo containers both on the ground and in the air – and has over 675 cubic feet (19 m3) of cargo space.
Sabrewing目前有28架飞机的采购订单-用于世界食品/世界健康项目-另外还收到102个确认订单和400多架飞行器的意向订单；这些订单为接下来6至7年价值32亿美元的预订单。Sabrewing还与美国空军签订合同，学习自动化货物运输在恶劣环境下的用途，甚至为多达8名伤员进行伤亡疏散的演示。
Sabrewing currently has purchase orders for 28 of the aircraft – destined for the World Food/World Health program – and another 102 firm orders, and letters of intent for over 400 aircraft; these orders represent a $3.2 billion order book over the next six-seven years. Sabrewing also has contracts with the US Air Force to study the use of autonomous cargo delivery to austere environments, and even a demonstration of casualty evacuation for up to 8 injured persons.
随着飞行器接近认证（Sabrewing曾是2019年10月首个与美国航空联邦局达成“认证基础”协议的垂直起降公司），Sabrewing也一直努力与欧洲航空安全局（EASA）合作开始其飞行器的认证飞行测试。首批28架航行器将在2023年12月开始为首批客户进行配送服务。
As the aircraft nears certification (Sabrewing was the first VTOL company to reach a ‘Basis of Certification’ agreement with the FAA in October of 2019), Sabrewing has also been working with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to begin certification flight testing of its aircraft. The first 28 aircraft are due to begin deliveries to the first customer by December 2023.
