HAMR (Hybrid Advanced Multi-Rotor)
Hybrid-electric multirotor
The HAMR (Hybrid Advanced Multi-Rotor) is a hybrid-electric multirotor UAV designed for long-endurance intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), inspection, and persistent overwatch missions.
Mission Profile
The HAMR platform addresses the critical limitation of purely electric multirotors: short flight endurance. By integrating a gasoline-powered generator with electric motors, the HAMR significantly extends operational times, enabling missions measured in hours rather than minutes. This hybrid propulsion system allows for continuous power generation during flight, recharging batteries and providing sustained thrust, which is crucial for demanding applications.
Its primary role is to provide persistent aerial observation and data collection. This includes long-duration ISR for military and security operations, offering continuous situational awareness over a designated area. For commercial applications, it excels in critical infrastructure inspection, such as pipelines, power lines, and large industrial facilities, where extended flight times are essential to cover vast distances or complex structures efficiently. The HAMR's ability to loiter for extended periods also makes it suitable for persistent overwatch, monitoring events, or securing perimeters, providing a continuous eye-in-the-sky capability.
Key Features
- ▸Hybrid-electric propulsion system for extended flight times.
- ▸Long endurance, capable of flights measured in hours.
- ▸Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) capability.
- ▸Designed for persistent Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR).
- ▸Payload flexibility for various sensors, including EO/IR.
- ▸Relatively quiet operation compared to traditional internal combustion engine aircraft.
Specifications
- ceiling
- 12,000 ft ASL (3,658 m)
- configuration
- Multirotor (quadcopter for HAMR-V variant)
- endurance
- Up to 3.5 hours
- mtow
- 55 lbs (25 kg)
- payload
- Up to 10 lbs (4.5 kg)
- propulsion
- Hybrid-electric (gasoline generator, electric motors)
- range
- Not publicly disclosed
- speed
- Up to 50 mph (80 km/h)
Notable Operators
Comparable Platforms
About the Manufacturer
Advanced Aircraft Company (AAC) produces vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aerial systems built around hybrid-electric propulsion to maximize endurance for military ISR and commercial inspection missions. The company spun out of NASA Langley research and focuses on long-flight-time hybrid VTOL airframes.