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FAQ's
WHY IS FLIGHT ENDURANCE IMPORTANT?
Flight endurance directly reduces operating costs. Longer time-on-station per flight means fewer aircraft are needed to achieve the same mission coverage, lower capital and operational expenditure, reduced crew requirements, and lower cost per sensor flight-hour. ShadowfaxUAS platforms are optimised for maximum endurance within their class to deliver the lowest possible cost per mission hour.
WHAT DOES ITAR-FREE MEAN?
Our platforms are ITAR-free, meaning they are not subject to U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations. This allows easier export to most countries, subject to South African dual-use export controls and the Wassenaar Arrangement. We are a registered exporter with South Africa’s National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC).
WHY VTOL?
Vertical Take-Off and Landing capability removes the need for runways or launch/recovery equipment. This significantly reduces logistical requirements, increases operational flexibility, and allows deployment from rough terrain, ships, or confined areas. The electric VTOL system also enables fully automated emergency landing in the event of forward propulsion failure, improving safety and protecting the aircraft and payload.
THE IMPORTANCE OF A SWAPPABLE PROPULSION UNIT
The forward propulsion unit on the SF45 and SF25 platforms can be swapped in the field in under a minute. This dramatically improves platform availability and reliability, reduces maintenance downtime, and allows operators to maintain smaller fleets for the same mission output. On the SF25, the quick-swap system also enables operators to switch between electric and gasoline propulsion units depending on mission requirements (e.g. stealth vs maximum endurance).
WHAT IS THE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT OF THE SF45 AND SF25?
Both platforms are designed to operate in temperatures from -10°C to +45°C and in winds up to 20 knots.
WHAT MISSIONS ARE THE SF45 AND SF25 SUITABLE FOR?
The SF45 and SF25 family are designed for long-endurance ISR, maritime patrol, border security, search and rescue, disaster response, environmental monitoring, photogrammetry, LiDAR surveys, and mineral exploration. Their combination of VTOL capability, long range, and compact transport footprint makes them particularly well suited to maritime and remote operations where runway infrastructure is limited or unavailable.