Copter 4
The Copter 4 is a petrol-engine, single-rotor unmanned helicopter built by Survey Copter, an Airbus subsidiary in France, for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and monitoring missions.
Overview
Copter 4 belongs to Survey Copter's rotary-wing unmanned aircraft family, developed alongside the smaller Copter 1B as part of the company's early lineup of mini-UAV systems. Survey Copter, based at Pierrelatte in southern France, is a subsidiary of Airbus and has historically supplied both defence and civil customers with remote-controlled aerial systems.
According to the manufacturer's technical datasheet, Copter 4 was designed for "Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), protection, and monitoring missions" and was marketed for use in "military as well as civil applications." Its listed applications include intelligence gathering, site and convoy protection, and infrastructure monitoring such as power-line and pipeline inspection.
Survey Copter's more recent public communications, including coverage of the company's newer Aliaca and Capa-X tactical drone programmes, do not reference Copter 4, and the manufacturer's original Copter 4 product pages are no longer live on the current Survey Copter website. No source consulted for this entry states a formal retirement or end-of-production date for the platform.
Design and capabilities
Copter 4 is a conventional single main-rotor helicopter UAV powered by a petrol engine with a fuel capacity of 4 to 8 litres. The manufacturer's datasheet lists an airframe length of 1.95 m (excluding rotor blades) and a main rotor diameter of 2.2 m, with a maximum take-off weight of 30 kg. Maximum payload, including fuel, is listed at 8.5 kg.
The system is described as deployable in under ten minutes and accepts a range of interchangeable mission payloads, including electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) turrets and LiDAR sensors, as well as specialized payload-delivery equipment for avalanche-control or civil-protection use. The datasheet does not provide operational or targeting detail for any of these payload options.
Performance figures given by the manufacturer include an endurance of 2 to 2.5 hours depending on fuel load, a range of 10 to 40 km, a cruising altitude of 150 m, and a maximum operating altitude of 2,500 m above mean sea level. A maximum forward airspeed of 15 m/s (54 km/h) is listed, along with a maximum ground-wind operating limit of 10 m/s.
Operational history
No source consulted for this entry names a specific military or civil operator of Copter 4, and no documented deployment history was identified in manufacturer, trade-press, or reference material available at the time of writing. Survey Copter is confirmed as an Airbus subsidiary operating from Pierrelatte, France, and has supplied unmanned systems to French and other customers across its broader product range, but this general company history should not be read as confirmation of Copter 4 use by any named party.
Frequently asked questions
Who makes the Copter 4?
Copter 4 is made by Survey Copter, a French unmanned-systems company that is a subsidiary of Airbus, based at Pierrelatte in southern France.
What type of aircraft is the Copter 4?
It is a single main-rotor unmanned helicopter (helicopter UAV) powered by a petrol engine, rather than a fixed-wing or multirotor drone.
What is the Copter 4's maximum take-off weight and payload?
The manufacturer lists a maximum take-off weight of 30 kg and a maximum payload of 8.5 kg, which includes fuel.
How long can the Copter 4 fly and how far?
Manufacturer figures give an endurance of 2 to 2.5 hours and a range of 10 to 40 km, depending on fuel load.
What is the Copter 4's operating altitude?
The datasheet lists a cruising altitude of 150 m and a maximum operating altitude of 2,500 m above mean sea level.
What sensors or payloads can the Copter 4 carry?
Listed payload options include EO/IR turrets and LiDAR sensors, plus specialized payload-delivery equipment for avalanche-control or civil-protection applications.
