The Viking 400 was designed by BAI Inc and recently manufactured by L3 Aeronautical Systems. NASA Ames Research Center acquired 8 surplus aircraft in 2014 as the aircraft characteristis and capabilities are nearly identical the the SIERRA UAV. This small Category 3 (~500lbs) UAV performs remote sensing, atmospheric sampling, and aeronautical research support. Viking is well suited for precise and accurate data collection missions in remote or dangerous environments. Its is large enough to carry up to 100lbs of scientific instruments for up to 600 miles yet small enough not to require a large runway or hangar.
Ports exist in the front for cameras and/or atmospheric sampling missions. The Viking complements other UAVs in the NASA science fleet specializing in "low and slow" missions that require larger payload capacity than Category I and II UAVs. This size class has demonstrated the capability of gathering earth science data from passive (eg. imagers), active (eg. radar, lidar) and in situ (eg. gas analyzers) remote sensing systems.
NASA Ames will assist in all aspects of project planning and implementation including instrument integration, access to airspace, deployment logistics, and cost estimates. To request flights as part of a proposal please use the flight request link at the top of the page.
