{{Infobox aircraft | name = ANTEX-M | logo = | logo_size = | image = | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = Unmanned aerial vehicle | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = Portugal | manufacturer = Portuguese Air Force Academy | design_group = | designer = | builder = | issuer = | status = | owners = | primary_user = Portuguese Air Force | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = 2002—current | introduction = | retired = | first_flight = | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = }}
'''ANTEX-M''' ({{langx|pt|Aeronave Não Tripulada Experimental – Militar}}, Military Experimental Unmanned Aircraft) is a family of small- and medium-sized experimental unmanned aerial vehicles developed by the Portuguese Air Force in partnership with several universities and institutes. The development program is part of the PITVANT program and is funded by the Portuguese National Defense Ministry until 2015.<ref name="operacionalpitvant072012" />
The objective of the ANTEX-M is not to develop a fully operational UAV system to execute PoAF missions but to demonstrate aeronautical technology and support research and development projects of the Portuguese Air Force Academy and other academic and industrial partners.<ref name="cidn2-4p13" />
== History == The first program for the development of the ANTEX M was created by the Portuguese Air Force in 2002. This program had the objective of jointly researching and developing an experimental military UAV with the Portuguese Air Force Academy's Investigation Center ({{langx|pt|Centro de Investigação Academia da Força Aérea}})<ref name="operacionalpitvant042011" /> and several national and international institutes, universities, and industry partners (EDISOFT). The program's cost was estimated to be €2 million and was canceled before starting due to lack of funding.<ref name="ma357antexm" />
Another program, under the same name, was established in partnership with the Technical Institute (IST) of the University of Lisbon for the development of a remotely controlled vehicle for flight testing new aeronautical composites and materials. During this program the ANTEX-M models X00, X01 and X02 were developed and participated in the European projects Active Aeroelastic Aircraft Structures (3AS) and Aircraft Reliability Through Intelligent Materials Application (ARTIMA).<ref name="ma357antexm" />
From 2006 to 2008, the Air Force Academy and the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP) collaborated in developing an autonomous flight control system for unmanned aircraft.<ref name="cidn2-4p14" />
In 2007, the Portuguese Air Force created the PITVANT ({{langx|pt|Projecto de Investigação e Tecnologia em Veículos Aéreos Não Tripulados}}, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Investigation and Technology Project), and presented it as a proposal to the National Defense Ministry for the allocation of €2 million in funding to be distributed during the seven years in which the project would be active.<ref name="cidn2-4p13" /><ref name="afapitvant" />
The project focus on the design, construction and testing of small and medium UAV platforms, interoperability of unmanned systems, data fusion, navigation systems. Included is also the testing of the systems in military scenarios, such as: maritime patrol, search and rescue, coastal surveillance, sea pollution control, and reconnaissance.<ref name="cidn2-4p16" />
The development of the ANTEX-M as part of PITVANT involves the FEUP (AsasF Project), IST,<ref name="operacionalpitvant072012" /> Institute of Geodesy and Navigation at the University of the Bundeswehr Munich, and the University of Victoria.<ref name="cidn2-4p14" /><ref name="micuavs" />
== Specifications (ANTEX-M X03) == {{Aircraft specs |prime units? = met | ref = ''Cadernos do IDN'' Series II No. 4, p. 22 | crew = none | span m = 7 | span ft = 22.9 | capacity = 30 kg (66.13 lb) useful load | max takeoff weight kg = 150 | max takeoff weight lb = 330.6 | eng1 hp = 22 | max speed kmh = 130 | max speed kts = 70.19 | stall speed kmh = 40 | stall speed kts = 21.59 | endurance = 15 hours | ceiling m = 4,500 | ceiling ft = 14,763.8 }}
== Operators == {{PRT}}
* Portuguese Air Force: At least 4 units received, all built by Portuguese Air Force Academy.<ref>{{Cite web |title="PITVANT": PRIMEIRO PASSO PARA UM UAV PORTUGUÊS? {{!}} Operacional |url=https://www.operacional.pt/“pitvant”-primeiro-passo-para-um-uav-portugues/ |access-date=2022-09-23 |language=pt-PT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=SOBRE TERRA E SOBRE O MAR, OS UAV DA FORÇA AÉREA {{!}} Operacional |url=https://www.operacional.pt/sobre-terra-e-sobre-o-mar-os-uav-da-forca-aerea/ |access-date=2022-09-23 |language=pt-PT}}</ref>
== See also == {{aircontent| |related = |similar aircraft = * AAI RQ-2 Pioneer * AAI RQ-7 Shadow |lists = * List of unmanned aerial vehicles |see also = * Unmanned aerial vehicle * Portuguese Air Force * Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto }}
== References ==
=== Notes === <references>
<ref name="micuavs">{{cite web|url=http://www.emfa.pt/www/po/afa/conteudos/investigacao/Mixed%20initiative%20control%20of%20unmanned%20air%20vehicle%20systems%20the%20PITVANT%20RD%20UAV%20program.pdf|title=Mixed initiative control of unmanned air vehicle systems: the PITVANT R&D UAV program|date=March 13, 2010|publisher=FEUP/AFA|access-date=August 4, 2013|last1=de Sousa|first1=J. Borges|last2=Gonçalves|first2=G.|last3=Costa|first3=A.|last4=Morgado|first4=J.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203003242/http://www.emfa.pt/www/po/afa/conteudos/investigacao/Mixed%20initiative%20control%20of%20unmanned%20air%20vehicle%20systems%20the%20PITVANT%20RD%20UAV%20program.pdf|archive-date=December 3, 2013|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> <ref name="operacionalpitvant042011">{{cite news|last=Machado|first=Miguel|url=https://www.operacional.pt/%E2%80%9Cpitvant%E2%80%9D-primeiro-passo-para-um-uav-portugues/|title="PITVANT": PRIMEIRO PASSO PARA UM UAV PORTUGUÊS?|trans-title="PITVANT": First step for a Portuguese UAV?|date=April 2, 2011|publisher=Operacional|access-date=August 4, 2013|language=pt}}</ref> <ref name="operacionalpitvant072012">{{cite news|last=Machado|first=Miguel|url=https://www.operacional.pt/sobre-terra-e-sobre-o-mar-os-uav-da-forca-aerea/|title=SOBRE TERRA E SOBRE O MAR, OS UAV DA FORÇA AÉREA|trans-title=Over the land and over the sea, the UAVs of the Air Force|date=July 30, 2012|publisher=Operacional|access-date=August 4, 2013|language=pt}}</ref> <ref name="ma357antexm">{{cite journal|last1=Costa |first1=Lieutenant Colonel António |last2=Matos |first2=Captain Madruga |last3=Silva |first3=Lieutenant Carlos |date=September–October 2005 |title=ANTEX-M Desenvolvimento de aeronaves não tripuladas na Força Aérea Portuguesa |trans-title=ANTEX-M Development of unmanned aircraft in the Portuguese Air Force |journal=Mais Alto |issue=357 |location=Amadora |publisher=Portuguese Air Force |language=pt |access-date=November 24, 2013 |url=http://www.academiafa.edu.pt/conteudos/investigacao/MAart357.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203002607/http://www.academiafa.edu.pt/conteudos/investigacao/MAart357.pdf |archive-date=December 3, 2013 }}</ref> <ref name="afapitvant">{{cite web|url=http://www.academiafa.edu.pt/index.php?bd0b6f49=011.005.004&lang=PT|title=PITVANT|publisher=Portuguese Air Force Academy|access-date=November 24, 2013|language=pt}}</ref> <ref name="cidn2-4p14">''Cadernos do IDN'' Series II No. 4, p. 14</ref> <ref name="cidn2-4p13">''Cadernos do IDN'' Series II No. 4, p. 13</ref> <ref name="cidn2-4p16">''Cadernos do IDN'' Series II No. 4, p. 16</ref>
</references>
=== Bibliography === {{Refbegin}} *{{cite journal|last1=Morgado |first1=Lieutenant Colonel José Augusto |last2=de Sousa |first2=João Tasso Borges |date=July 2009 |title=O programa de investigação e tecnologia em veículos aéreos autónomos não-tripulados da Academia da Força Aérea |trans-title=The autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle technology and investigation program of the Air Force Academy |journal=Cadernos do IDN |series=II |issue=4 |pages=9–24 |publisher=Instituto de Defesa Nacional |language=pt |access-date=November 24, 2013 |url=http://www.academiafa.edu.pt/conteudos/investigacao/O%20PROGRAMA%20DE%20INVEST%20E%20TECNOLOGIA%20EM%20VA.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203002306/http://www.academiafa.edu.pt/conteudos/investigacao/O%20PROGRAMA%20DE%20INVEST%20E%20TECNOLOGIA%20EM%20VA.pdf |archive-date=December 3, 2013 }} {{Refend}}
== External links == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20131202225437/http://whale.fe.up.pt/asasf/index.php/Antex-M Antex-M], AsasF FEUP * [https://web.archive.org/web/20131202235843/http://whale.fe.up.pt/vehicles/alfa Alfa], ANTEX-M Alfa vehicle * [http://www.academiafa.edu.pt/index.php?bd0b6f49=011.005.004&lang=PT PITVANT], Portuguese Air Force Academy {{in lang|pt}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Antex-m}} Category:Twin-boom aircraft Category:Single-engined pusher aircraft Category:Unmanned experimental aircraft Portugal ANTEX-M Category:High-wing aircraft Category:Aircraft with fixed tricycle landing gear Category:Twin-tail aircraft