Sentian aerospace

From here, we rise

About Sentian Aerospace

Sentian Aerospace is an award-winning, fully fledged drone manufacturing company based in  Reading, UK. We design and build Unmanned Aerial Vehicles that are focused on delivering high value data in the form of earth observation, dynamic (live) and multispectral data to our customers through the use of our airborne platform. We offer three platforms: The Xtension, Xplorer and XHale.

Designed by Sentian Aerospace

Simplicity in its beauty and superiority in its performance

Built by Sentian Aerospace

Manufactured in the UK to the highest standards

Operated by Sentian Aerospace

Delivering high quality and high value data seamlessly.

Fully licenced pilots

Our test pilot holds a multiple instrument-rated remote pilot license

Accredited operations

We are fully and legally authorized to fly within certain airspaces to serve out customers .

Beyond reach

Collect data over vast distances using our platform

The aircraft

Sentian Xplorer

Go the Distance

The drone was designed for long range and long endurance in order to have the necessary capability to reach beyond our customers needs. It features vertical take-off and landing capability like a helicopter, and then transitions to fixed wing mode for long endurance flight. It is modular in design for easy transportation and storage. It can fly slow for good data collection but can also fly extremely fast for delivery. It can even stop and hover in mid-air to aid in powerline inspection and search and rescue.

Multiple payloads

Apart from the primary flight control video camera, the aircraft can be fitted with :

  • LIDAR Sensor
  • High resolution video cameras 
  • Infrared FLIR thermal imaging cameras
  • Extra fuel tanks for long endurance
  • Sonar system for depth analysis

Autonomous ready

Full autonomous mission execution capability. A truly generation 7 drone.

                          Coming in late 2024 

Some specs

   Wingspan                            6.5m

   Length                                  3.2m

   Payload                               15kg (35kg in non-VTOL mode)

   Max TO weight                   100kg (VTOL) 120kg (non-VTOL)

   Powerplant                          Hybrid electric (2x Piston engines + Battery)

   Type                                      VTOL

   Cruise speed                       100km/hr

   Max speed                           260km/hr

   Min. speed                           0km/hr (hover)

   Endurance                            20 hours (Engine: Payload as fuel)

   Range                                   1000km radius 

   Ceiling                                   20 000ft 

The Pseudo-Satellite

Sentian Xhale

Indefinite endurance and range

This UAV was design to offer clients an unparalleled ISR capabilities anywhere on the planet. It is an High Altitude Long endurance (HALE) drone capable of flying in the stratosphere (above 60 000ft) for periods lasting up to a year nonstop, per mission. It is powered by solar panels on the wing and charges onboard batteries during the day using the sun and then uses the stored energy during night-time to keep airborne. At the higher altitude, it can cover a wider area in terms of ISR footprint while avoiding adverse weather and air traffic contained within the lower parts of the atmosphere. Staying airborne for up to a year allows for longer observation missions such as environmental monitoring and earth observation. 

It is essentially a satellite that flies within the earth`s atmosphere. This means the aircraft can be parked to loiter in the same spot gathering data over extended periods. It can also be used such as conventional satellites by beaming data from that height or relaying signals such as internet connectivity.  This gives our customers a far most cost effective and affordable way of data collection and transfer which can be deployed to any point around the planet, whereas satellite are also far up and latency is higher during data transmission. The aircraft will only come down for servicing once or twice a year and then goes back to the mission.

Multiple payloads

Pseudo satellite drone

Unlimited endurance

Unlimited range

Lower latency in transmission

Full electric


Its basically a satellite

Full electric solar powered aircraft with unlimited range and endurance.

                         Coming in Q2 2025 

Some specs

Wingspan           20m

Length                4.5m

Payload              10kg 

Max TO weight   80kg

Powerplant         Full electric (Solar + Li-on batteries)

Type                     Pseudo-satellite

Cruise speed       70km/hr

Max speed          110km/hr

Min. speed           35km/hr (hover)

Endurance            Unlimited

Range                    Unlimited

Ceiling                    60 000ft 

A handy side kick

Sentian Xtension

Launch and recover easily

This smaller skew is the little brother to the Xplorer. It is much smaller and able to be launched from a simple pneumatic arm, which makes it easier to launch in the field from basically anywhere. That being the case however, it is still quite capable with 2 small  piston engines which offer redundancy and a large operational envelop. The aircraft is more portable and more cost effective solution for clients looking to do smaller endurance and range missions. With a 3kg payload, a number of modern sensors can be easily fitted on the aircraft. 

Multiple payloads

Apart from the primary flight control video camera, the aircraft can be fitted with :

  • LIDAR Sensor
  • High resolution video cameras 
  • Infrared FLIR thermal imaging cameras
  • Extra fuel tanks for long endurance
  • Sonar system for depth analysis

Autonomous ready

Full autonomous mission execution capability in a smaller more cost efficient package.

                          Coming in Q4 2025 

Some specs

   Wingspan                            3.0m

   Length                                  1.4m

   Payload                               5kg 

   Max TO weight                   25kg

   Powerplant                          2 x piston engines

   Type                                      Fixed wing

   Cruise speed                       100km/hr

   Max speed                           150km/hr

   Min. speed                           50km/hr 

   Endurance                            14 hours (Engine: Payload as fuel)

   Range                                   100km radius 

   Ceiling                                   14 000ft 

Our aircraft missions

Offsite asset inspection

Our aircraft are designed to provide a robust site inspection and data collection service. We provide the following services:

  • Inspection of assets in remote, hard-to-access and often dangerous areas.
  • Accurate data and images
  • Tracking progress of a project
  • Maintenance reports of solar farms, Wind farms, Bridges, Oil rigs, Mariners

Designed from the inside out, the Sentian drone is meticulously sculpted to maximize range performance to reach those difficult, often dangerous places to reach in order to get you that valuable data.

Sentian Cost
0%
Helicopter cost
0%
Distance to site [1000km]
Sentian Drone 85%
Typical helicopter 76%
fixed wing drones in the market 31%
Quadcopters 16%

Surveillance

Due to the long endurance and large speed range, the aircraft can remain airborne of up to 18 hours giving you the flexibility and time to keep an eye on those valuable natural assets. We provide:Wildlife tracking

  • Wildlife tracking (Visual & radio tag)
  • Anti-poaching
  • Migration
  • Border patrol
Cost per hour
Sentian drone 26%
Small fixed wing aircraft 74%
Flight time [Endurance]
Sentian drone 72%
Small fixed wing aircraft 28%

Stockpile/Mine inspection

The flexibility of the platform allows such to fly in mines (Open cast) and in industrial areas. As such we can deliver the following services:

  • Aerial monitoring of amount of inventory and stocks
  • Consumption rate and reserves
  • Dam water levels
  • Creating location and inventory plans at mines
  • Management of pits and landfills
Cost per hour
Sentian drone 15%
Helicopters 85%

Meet the team

Sentian Aerospace was founded in 2017 as a drone manufacturing company. It was founded by a group of two friends who had the desire to do their part in improving the world. Their philosophy was and still is to provide a low cost aerospace platform that could be used for efficient data collection. This was the seed in the conception of Sentian aerospace. Our mission is to inspire the adoption of sustainable and green, efficient collection of valuable data. 

01

Aerospace engineer

01

Electrical & electronic engineer

01

Marketing consultant (Partner)

Muzi Dube

Bachelor of Science in engineering: Aeronautical, Wits 2017

Primary job function is to make high level company decisions, to manage the day to day running of the company and. Furthermore, Muzi’s duties include the design and continuous development of the aircraft frame/structure with the objective of optimizing performance. Performing the necessary aerodynamic calculations & simulations for ground, airborne and hovering modes. Static and dynamic stability analysis for hover and forward flight, cruise turn performance including power requirements. Design and development of rotor (VTOL) system and also the design for safety of the entire system.

Muzi Dube is a holder of a BSc Aeronautical engineering degree from the University of Witwatersrand.

Aircraft design 95%
Structural & Composites 82%
Flight dynamics 80%
Marketing 65%

Edmund Moyo

Master of Science in Electrical engineering, UJ, 2019

Primary job function is to provide high level operational decision making on the project and company as a whole. Furthermore, his responsibilities are to work in a team of Electrical & Electronic engineers to design and develop the entire wiring diagram of the UAV system, this includes the high-power loom and low power loom. Design and development of the UAV power plant system, lighting systems, lightning protection. Power generation, consumption & assisting in the design and development of power management software, emergency power generation and battery protection.

Edmund Nhlanhla Moyo holds an Electrical Engineering diploma from Vaal University. Edmund is currently pursuing a BTech Electrical Engineering degree at the University of Johannesburg

Electrical high power design 89%
Financials 83%
Marketing 78%
Flight dynamics 51%

The vision

From inception, Sentian Aerospace has always been about giving our customers “an extended hand” by delivering a lower-cost aerial platform that can be used to collect useful data over long distances and extended periods of time in hard-to-reach, less accessible areas or even dangerous places. Beyond that, we will in the future deliver vital resources such as medicine, blood and first aid packages to areas with low access

Testing and Quality control

Sentian runs all engine and vehicle structural tests in-house for good quality control. We are very focus on producing aircraft that can serve our customers` needs for extended periods of time. We have strict testing and quality control protocols that allow for highly capable machines.

Innovation

The company is championing the development of new technology and innovation in the aerospace sector. For instance, we developed a modern manufacturing process where we create molds using 3D printing and use those to produce our aircraft body panels through a carbon fiber composite lay up process. 

Our CNC machining and laser cutting processes are cutting edge and allow for more streamlined production and a cost saving down stream to the client. In a nutshell: More capability, lower cost.

Get in touch

Muzi Dube

  • +44775 675 5724
  • muzi@sentianuav.com

Edmund Moyo

  • +447741 381 567
  • edmund@sentianuav.com
  • 179 Oxford Rd, Reading, United Kingdom. RG1 7UZ
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