Zohal
Encyclopedia
The Zohal is a VTOL
unmanned aerial vehicle
developed and manufactured in Iran
that is being described as a "home-made unmanned flying saucer
". The first announcement of the Zohal came in a news release from the Fars News Agency
on March 16, 2011. In attendance at the unveiling was Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, the figurative head of Iran.
The Zohal which can fly in both indoor and outdoor environments is designed and developed jointly by Farnas Aerospace Company and Iranian Aviation and Space Industries Association (IASIA). Technical specifications include an autopilot
system and GPS
(Global Positioning System).
The utility of the Zohal is described as varied with aerial imaging provided as one example. The imaging equipment consists of two separate systems with full HD 10 mega-pixel picture quality, making the Zohal able to take and send images simultaneously.
VTOL
A vertical take-off and landing aircraft is one that can hover, take off and land vertically. This classification includes fixed-wing aircraft as well as helicopters and other aircraft with powered rotors, such as cyclogyros/cyclocopters and tiltrotors...
unmanned aerial vehicle
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
developed and manufactured in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
that is being described as a "home-made unmanned flying saucer
Flying saucer
A flying saucer is a type of unidentified flying object sometimes believed to be of alien origin with a disc or saucer-shaped body, usually described as silver or metallic, occasionally reported as covered with running lights or surrounded with a glowing light, hovering or moving rapidly either...
". The first announcement of the Zohal came in a news release from the Fars News Agency
Fars News Agency
Fars News Agency is a news agency in Iran. While it describes itself as "Iran's leading independent news agency", news organizations such as CNN and Reuters describe it as a "semi-official" news agency with ties to the government...
on March 16, 2011. In attendance at the unveiling was Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, the figurative head of Iran.
The Zohal which can fly in both indoor and outdoor environments is designed and developed jointly by Farnas Aerospace Company and Iranian Aviation and Space Industries Association (IASIA). Technical specifications include an autopilot
Autopilot
An autopilot is a mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic system used to guide a vehicle without assistance from a human being. An autopilot can refer specifically to aircraft, self-steering gear for boats, or auto guidance of space craft and missiles...
system and GPS
Global Positioning System
The Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...
(Global Positioning System).
The utility of the Zohal is described as varied with aerial imaging provided as one example. The imaging equipment consists of two separate systems with full HD 10 mega-pixel picture quality, making the Zohal able to take and send images simultaneously.