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Tucson based Advanced Ceramic Research, Inc. (ACR) founded in 1989 continues to develop state-of-the-art high temperature, high strength ceramic materials and innovative processes. Early in the company's life, ACR developed a strong business plan that focused on two core technologies - Fibrous Monoliths (FM) and Rapid Prototyping/Rapid Manufacturing (RP/RM). The same corporate strategies have fostered even greater accomplishments.
Some of ACR's success can be found in their building winning team relationships with university researchers. Together they developed an array of cutting edge technologies leading to commercialization of them by partnering with Fortune 500 companies. Adding to their remarkable growth ACR works closely with government-sponsored laboratories, including Wright Paterson Air Force Research Laboratory and the Army and Naval Research Laboratories.
One noteworthy technology developed by ACR is their small-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) "Silver Fox." The Silver Fox program initially the result of research and development efforts under a Navy SBIR program soon took off. The original design goals were to develop a small, lightweight, inexpensive and/or expendable unmanned aerial vehicle that would fly autonomously for long durations at 60 knots and run on JP-5/JP-8 fuels. According to ACR, the current Silver Fox is designed to provide low cost aerial surveillance imaging or carry sensor payload packages weighing around four pounds for single or in groups using Autonomous Intelligent Network System (AINS) software. Video images from the UAV are transmitted from the Silver Fox to a ground station for quick reference. One ground station can concurrently operate six units. The UAV has a 6-foot long fuselage, detachable, durable, composite 8-foot wide wings and tail assembly that fit into a super-sized golf bag. The fully loaded UAV weighs in at around 25 pounds can soar to more than 16,000 feet in excess of eight hours. It remains arguably an industry leader in its small foot-print and low-cost all developed in just a few years.
According to the Navy, the Silver Fox was initially designed to spot marine mammals in operating areas to try and keep them out of harm's way before conducting naval exercises. World events in 2003 had the Office of Naval Research direct ACR to revamp the Silver Fox in a matter of few months to provide Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities for the troops in theater who needed assistance with tactical reconnaissance missions. The Silver Fox offers high tech "eyes in the sky" able to relay information immediately to a remote laptop computer providing intelligence for advancing ground or sea forces. It has also been flown in support of US Geologic Survey as the first UAV employed to study a volcano at Mount Saint Helens when it re-erupted in the fall of 2004.
Ranji Vaidyanathan
Advanced Ceramics Research, Inc.
3292 East Hemisphere Loop
Tucson, AZ 85706-5013
Phone: (520) 434-6391
Fax: (520) 573-2056
