RQ-84Z Aerohawk

The RQ-84Z Aerohawk is a hand-launched commercial survey UAV built by Hawkeye UAV of New Zealand, branded "AreoHawk" on the manufacturer's own product page and sold as a turn-key aerial-imaging system for orthorectified mapping and point-cloud generation. The manufacturer's site has since gone offline, and it is treated here as a discontinued product.

Overview

Hawkeye UAV, trading as Hawk UAS from Havelock North, New Zealand, positioned the Aerohawk as a package for survey professionals who wanted to control their own aerial-imaging work rather than contract it out. The manufacturer's product page advertised the aircraft as a full turn-key system, including spares, software, extra batteries and airworthiness documentation, with pricing available on request rather than published.

Design and capabilities

Hawk UAS built the Aerohawk from Kevlar carbon-fibre composite, with a 2.6 m wingspan and a maximum all-up weight of 5.5 kg. It is hand-launched and recovered by parachute, flown by an electric motor on lithium-polymer batteries at a stated cruise speed of 55-60 km/h, with an endurance of 90 minutes or more. The manufacturer's page listed fully automated flight operations, independent flight-monitoring systems, and an automatic return to base on link failure.

The standard payload was a Sony A7R 36.4-megapixel full-frame camera with a wide-angle survey lens and RTK positioning as standard, with other sensors available on request; the manufacturer also offered a multispectral variant of the airframe. Hawk UAS did not publish the aircraft's length, service ceiling or operating range.

Use cases

Hawk UAS marketed the Aerohawk for commercial aerial surveying and mapping, generating orthorectified imagery and point-cloud data for professional users. No operator or specific deployment is publicly documented beyond the manufacturer's own marketing material, and the manufacturer's website has since been replaced by a parked domain page, indicating the product is no longer sold.

Frequently asked questions

What was the RQ-84Z Aerohawk used for?

Hawk UAS marketed it as a commercial survey UAV for orthorectified aerial imagery and point-cloud mapping.

What are its key specifications?

A 2.6 m wingspan, a 5.5 kg maximum all-up weight, and an endurance of 90 minutes or more at a cruise speed of 55-60 km/h.

How is it launched and recovered?

It is hand-launched and recovered by parachute.

What camera did it carry?

The standard payload was a 36.4-megapixel Sony A7R full-frame camera with a wide-angle survey lens and standard RTK positioning; other sensors were available on request.

Is the RQ-84Z Aerohawk still available?

No. The manufacturer's website is no longer active, so the type is treated here as discontinued.