Engineering:Prioria Robotics Maveric

Prioria Maveric
Maveric UAV in Flight
Role	Tactical, Squad-level, Hand-launched
Manufacturer	Prioria Robotics, Inc.

The Prioria Robotics Maveric is a discontinued unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) marketed as a high-performance, next-generation platform for small and miniature UAV operations. Maveric's bendable wings allow for the ability to store a fully assembled airframe in a 6-inch (150 mm) tube.

Design

Maveric can be deployed immediately with no assembly, with a claimed dash speed of 55 knots (63 mph; 102 km/h). Marketed as the first smart, customizable SUAS, Maveric utilizes Prioria's proprietary processing platform, Merlin.

Operation

Maveric is capable of fully autonomous operation from launch to landing using waypoints, or it can be flown manually by a human pilot via a simple joystick under autopilot assistance.

Maveric was designed for operation by a single user in a military, tactical setting. To accomplish this goal, the airframe had to be small and light enough (2 lb) for a single user to transport, but with large enough wings (28 in) to support the weight of the batteries, cameras, and electronics sufficient for up to one hour of flight-time.

To overcome issues of portability and assembly time, designers employed a bendable-wing design. This design allows for Maveric's wings, which are large enough to meet the desired operational requirements to collapse and wrap around its fuselage and be placed in a 6-inch-diameter (150 mm) tube, while remaining in a fully assembled state. This has two advantages. It allows the aircraft to be stored in a small space, and it makes the aircraft capable of immediate launch on removal from storage. The flexible wings were also claimed to produce a dampening effect called "apative washout" that would allow the UAS to be flown in heavy wind gusts.

The bendable wings and bird-like profile were also claimed to produce an effect of biological camouflage.

Controversy

Controversy[edit] In 2015, a Prioria vendor - Condor Aerial alleged Prioria of providing false specifications for the Maveric UAV, and therefore selling it a hobby-grade drone at a military-grade price. The complaint included allegations that the UAV was easily damaged and also consisted of sworn statements by a prior employee who claimed that then CEO of Prioria was knowingly falsifying information on government contracts, however, the employee later changed his position while testifying in the court.[13] Reports from government entities countered these claims. A report by NOAA, which documented their own Maveric drones lasted over six years without mechanical incident over the course of 4,500 combined sorties.

Over several years and multiple attorneys, Condor only won a breach of contract suit with a jury award of $1.5 million on December 7, 2017 and a writ of execution was assessed on Prioria's assets in January, 2018. The verdict was appealed but the company filed for Chapter 11 (reorganization) bankruptcy protection on January 29th 2018, and the appeal has been on hold ever since.

Former operators

• U.S. Army – 36
• Royal Canadian Air Force – 5
• Republic of Singapore Air Force - 20

See also

• Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
• Miniature UAV
• Micro Air Vehicle (MAV)
• History of unmanned aerial vehicles

External links

• Videos of Maveric
• Power of the Unmanned
• Homeland Security Tech
• WCJB Gainesville Story
• GEOINT Aerial Vehicles
• Prioria Robotics, Inc.
• Bryan da Frota