Volz Servos and Kraus Hamdani Expand K1000ULE UAS Partnership After Thousands of Flight Hours

Volz Servos and Kraus Hamdani Aerospace are expanding their collaboration supporting the K1000ULE UAS following more than 7,000 flight hours and 200,000 miles of operation. According to the companies, the Volz actuators installed aboard the aircraft have operated throughout thousands of flight hours without a reported servo failure.

The companies are now evaluating a modified version of the Volz DA 15-N.ISS actuator designed to simplify integration into Kraus Hamdani Aerospace’s production process.

K1000ULE UAS Surpasses 7,000 Flight Hours

The K1000ULE completed a 75-hour, 53-minute autonomous flight in 2023.

According to the announcement, the aircraft has since accumulated:

• More than 7,000 flight hours
• More than 200,000 airborne miles
• Operations supporting the U.S. Department of War

The ultra-long-endurance UAS supports missions including:

• Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
• Electronic Intelligence
• Signal relay
• Other classified capabilities

Kraus Hamdani Aerospace said the aircraft is designed to operate in contested and GPS-denied environments.

Volz Servos Support K1000ULE Flight Controls

The K1000ULE uses four Volz DA 15-N.ISS actuators to control its ailerons, elevators and rudders.

The servos are based on Volz’s full-brushless DA 15-N actuator and incorporate the company’s Internal Servo Saver.

According to Volz, the ISS is a mechanical gear-protection system designed to protect the gear set against radial shock loads exceeding a predetermined limit.

“Until now, Kraus Hamdani Aerospace has been using our standard servo. However, we recently discussed supplying them with a slightly modified version designed to simplify the integration of the servos into their current production process,” said Felix Thun, COO of Volz.

The discussions followed a Volz team visit to Kraus Hamdani Aerospace’s manufacturing facility in the Bay Area and its airborne operations and testing location in Reno, Nevada.

Actuators Designed for Shock and Vibration Protection

The K1000ULE is designed for rapid box-to-flight assembly and long-duration operations, requiring components to withstand handling, impact and vibration.

In addition to the Internal Servo Saver, the Volz actuators use conductive aluminum housings and shielded connection cables to reduce susceptibility to electromagnetic and radio-frequency interference.

According to the companies, this is particularly relevant to the K1000ULE’s electronic intelligence, sensor and communications payloads.

“These actuators were the logical choice for the K1000ULE supporting long-endurance operations where reliability is crucial,” Thun said. “They combine extremely low weight with robustness and power while protecting the delicate gearbox from damage caused by high shock loads.”

Five-Year Partnership Moves into Next Phase

Thun first became familiar with the Kraus Hamdani Aerospace program approximately five years ago during a trade show in London.

“From the very beginning and throughout the thousands of flight hours since then, we can proudly say that there hasn’t been a single failure with our servos,” Thun said.

According to Volz, the recent on-site visit provided additional information about the aircraft’s operational requirements and is expected to support continued collaboration between the companies.

K1000ULE Components Support Long-Endurance Missions

Kraus Hamdani Aerospace emphasized the importance of individual aircraft components to overall system reliability.

“Every component inside the K1000ULE contributes to mission success. When our K1000ULE is supporting critical operations for the U.S. Department of War, reliability is not optional, it is foundational,” said Stefan Kraus, CTO and founder of Kraus Hamdani Aerospace.

“From the airframe and avionics to the actuators, payloads, power systems, and communications architecture, each part must perform with precision over long durations and in demanding operational environments. Volz has been a trusted part of that reliability story helping ensure the K1000ULE can continue delivering the persistence, control, and confidence our warfighters depend on.”

The expanded collaboration between Volz Servos and Kraus Hamdani Aerospace will focus on further adapting the actuator technology used aboard the K1000ULE UAS while simplifying integration into the aircraft’s production process.

Source: Press release from Volz Servos and Kraus Hamdani Aerospace