100‑Minute Hover: Angel Aerial’s Trio Scout Brings NDAA‑Compliant Endurance to U.S. Public Safety

Angel Aerial Systems has released the Trio Scout, a lightweight, compact, and ultra‑quiet tricopter manufactured in Ohio, designed to deliver 100 minutes of hover, a 40× EO zoom paired with a 640×480 thermal camera, and NDAA‑compliant component sourcing for agency and enterprise procurement; list price is $34,999 with a current lead time of 10 weeks, according to the company’s product page and materials shared from the same source.

Key updates at a glance

The headline change is endurance: 100 minutes of hover with payload under standard conditions, a figure that can materially reduce battery swaps and improve time‑on‑station for overwatch, inspection, and security missions; Angel Aerial positions this as more than double the flight time of leading quadcopters in its class. The company emphasizes U.S. design and manufacturing in Cincinnati, Ohio, and NDAA‑compliant components; it notes the platform is not yet on the DIU Blue UAS Cleared List but is working toward that certification.

Specs and hardware

• Aircraft: 5.5 lb including battery; unfolded dimensions 21 × 25 × 7.5 in; storage case 25.6 × 20 × 11.8 in, suitable for trunk transport and rapid deployment.
• Performance: Max forward speed 25 mph; max transmission distance 1.86 miles (≈3.0 km); wind resistance 20 mph average with 30 mph gust tolerance; operating temperature −5°F to 120°F (≈−20.6°C to 48.9°C).
• Payload: Dual EO/thermal gimbal; EO resolution 1280×720 with 20× optical + 2× digital (total 40×); thermal 640×480 with 4× digital zoom for heat anomaly detection and low‑light work.
• Ground controller: Multiband links at 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5–6 GHz; AES‑128/256 encryption; Windows 11‑based GCS with Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, and 2× USB‑C outputs; 80 Wh controller battery rated about 8 hours.
• Aircraft battery: Single Li‑ion pack, 23.7 Ah capacity, nominal 20.4 V, nominal 8 A charge rate; platform supports hot‑swap operations planning with the quoted endurance.

Operations and acoustic profile

Angel Aerial states the Trio Scout is tuned for quiet, discrete operation and is notably quieter than comparable quadcopters in its class, supporting urban and tactical deployments where low acoustic signature is valued; the platform also features autonomous takeoff/landing with downward detect‑and‑avoid for safe landings, with 360° detect‑and‑avoid on the roadmap. The Windows 11 ground system enables wireless casting to nearby screens and MavLink‑based integrations for third‑party tools and live broadcasting when paired with a hotspot, facilitating command‑post workflows.

Environmental considerations

The 100‑minute figure is specified at sea level around 59°F with a light 8–12 mph breeze; Angel Aerial provides de‑rate examples: at 120°F and 5,000 ft, expected flight time is about 88 minutes (−12%), while at −5°F and 5,000 ft, flight time is about 65 minutes (−35%); wind can further reduce endurance by up to ~15%. This guidance helps agencies plan sorties and battery reserves for hot‑and‑high or winter operations where density altitude and battery performance affect mission duration.

Who it’s for

Angel Aerial targets public safety, infrastructure inspection, and defense users seeking longer on‑station times without tethers; NDAA compliance supports U.S. government and critical‑infrastructure procurement, while the 40× EO and 640×480 thermal payloads enable stand‑off identification and thermal assessment for perimeter security, Search and Rescue (SaR), and utility inspections within typical 1–2 mile (≈1.6–3.2 km) operating radii. For organizations standardizing on U.S.‑built systems, the price point of $34,999 and ~10‑week lead time provide a concrete basis for FY budget cycles and deployment planning.

Context with the flagship Trio

Angel Aerial notes the original Trio—its windmilling, rotating‑airframe flagship—remains in development with plans to exceed two hours of hover and a release now aimed for later 2026; Trio Scout complements that roadmap by delivering immediate long‑hover performance in a conventional tricopter form factor for near‑term missions.

Photos courtesy of Angel Aerial Systems