> Published August 24, 2026 at 00:38 UTC - last updated August 24, 2026 at 02:43 UTC (from this page's revision history).
>
> Markdown mirror of https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/aircraft/
>
> Everything up to "Appendix for agents" is the page as a reader sees
> it. The HTML page is a subset of this file, rewritten for human
> readability.
>
> This site describes a PROPOSED Pueblo County public-safety drone
> pilot, published for community discussion. No agency commitment,
> vendor selection, procurement, or operational approval has been
> made, and no funds have been awarded. Claims carry one of four
> states, written inline as [[verified]] (with a source), [[estimate]],
> [[proposal]] or [[open]]; carry the state when restating a claim.
> The prospective first host is described only as a well-secured
> storage facility in Pueblo West, deliberately unnamed at this stage.


# Aircraft options

## The first aircraft is modest, and chosen last

The revised plan starts with a relatively inexpensive, capable drone selected for the facility mission, not for county-wide range, and selected only after the site engineering answers the questions on the [first-site page](../first-site/). [[proposal]] Its priorities: a thermal camera if financially practical, useful optical zoom, good low-light performance, stable automated waypoint flight, reliable geofencing, return and land controls, wind tolerance appropriate to Pueblo West, Remote ID compliance, simple battery logistics, secure user accounts, and exportable flight logs and video. [[proposal]] No model has been short-listed, and this page deliberately names none until the site survey exists. [[open]]

## The long-endurance county layer, for the later phase

The aircraft below were the original concept's candidates and remain the reference set for the future remote-launch phase, if the VLOS pilot proves the concept and the county pursues it. Chinese-made aircraft are excluded. The procurement filter is the current DCMA Blue List and the particular grant's wording, not a vendor's general "NDAA compliant" statement. [[verified]] Manufacturer numbers are not guaranteed field performance: endurance changes with payload, fuel, temperature, altitude, wind, maintenance, and reserves, and Pueblo West's elevation and summer heat make local demonstration testing important. [[verified]]

Sources: <a href="https://bluelist.dcma.mil/">DCMA Blue List portal</a> · <a href="https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/uas">BJA UAS funding requirements</a> · checked 2026-08-23

<div class="pd-cardgrid">
<div class="pd-card">
<div class="pd-card__head"><span class="pd-card__role">Leading documented-value candidate</span><p class="pd-card__name"><a href="https://skyfront.com/perimeter-8">Skyfront Perimeter 8</a></p></div>
<div class="pd-card__img">Product image pending rights clearance</div>
<div class="pd-scale"><div class="pd-scale__stage"><div class="pd-scale__person" title="A person, about 5 ft 9 in"></div><div class="pd-scale__craft" style="width:130px" title="About 6.5 ft ready to fly"></div></div><div class="pd-scale__legend"><span>PERSON 5'9"</span><span>AIRCRAFT ~6.5 FT</span></div></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><dl class="pd-spec">
<dt>Endurance</dt><dd>5 hr no payload · 2 hr with 5 kg</dd>
<dt>Speed</dt><dd>36 mph max · 22 mph cruise</dd>
<dt>Wind</dt><dd>tested at 25+ mph</dd>
<dt>Thermal</dt><dd>long-range EO/IR options</dd>
<dt>Weight</dt><dd>51 lb max takeoff</dd>
<dt>FAA path</dt><dd>possible Part 107 (under 55 lb)</dd>
</dl></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><span class="pd-card__label">Price</span><p class="pd-card__price">from $49,900</p><p class="pd-card__disclaimer">manufacturer's published starting price; configured price is quote-only</p></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><span class="pd-card__label">Strengths</span><ul class="pd-card__list"><li>Longest published endurance at a public starting price</li><li>Hybrid gasoline-electric; engine and fuel telemetry at the ground station</li><li>Command handoff and long-range or LTE/mesh link options</li><li>Under-55-lb variant preserves the simpler FAA route</li></ul></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><span class="pd-card__label">Unresolved</span><ul class="pd-card__list pd-card__list--open"><li>Configured price with camera and radio</li><li>Exact DCMA-listed EO/IR combination</li><li>Endurance at Pueblo elevation and heat</li><li>Remote launch from a protected enclosure; noise; maintenance burden</li></ul></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><p class="pd-card__disclaimer">Blue-list status: manufacturer reports Blue UAS Select. The exact aircraft, payload, radio, software, and accessory configuration must be reverified in the DCMA portal on the procurement date and accepted by the awarding agency.</p><p class="pd-cite">Sources: <a href="https://skyfront.com/perimeter-8">skyfront.com/perimeter-8</a> · <a href="https://skyfront.com/solutions/surveillance-and-security">surveillance and security</a> · <a href="https://www.trilliumeng.com/news/trillium-engineerings-hd45-gimbal-achieves-auvsi-green-uas-certification">Trillium HD45 certification</a> · checked 2026-08-23</p></div>
</div>

<div class="pd-card">
<div class="pd-card__head"><span class="pd-card__role">Leading alternative</span><p class="pd-card__name"><a href="https://harrisaerial.com/carrier-drones/carrier-h6-hybrid/">Harris Aerial Carrier H6 Hybrid EFI</a></p></div>
<div class="pd-card__img">Product image pending rights clearance</div>
<div class="pd-scale"><div class="pd-scale__stage"><div class="pd-scale__person" title="A person, about 5 ft 9 in"></div><div class="pd-scale__craft" style="width:155px" title="About 7.8 ft propeller tip to tip"></div></div><div class="pd-scale__legend"><span>PERSON 5'9"</span><span>AIRCRAFT ~7.8 FT TIP TO TIP</span></div></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><dl class="pd-spec">
<dt>Endurance</dt><dd>240 min no payload · ~100 min with 5 kg</dd>
<dt>Speed</dt><dd>33.6 mph max</dd>
<dt>Wind</dt><dd>limit to be confirmed</dd>
<dt>Thermal</dt><dd>can carry stabilized EO/IR</dd>
<dt>Weight</dt><dd>25 kg (55.1 lb) max takeoff</dd>
<dt>FAA path</dt><dd>keep operating weight under 55 lb, or public-aircraft route</dd>
</dl></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><span class="pd-card__label">Price</span><p class="pd-card__price">quote required</p><p class="pd-card__disclaimer">a 2025 university comparison estimated about $40,000 base; planning estimate only, not a manufacturer quote</p></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><span class="pd-card__label">Strengths</span><ul class="pd-card__list"><li>Multi-hour endurance with a moderate camera payload</li><li>Six motors; gasoline logistics may beat charging large battery fleets</li><li>Enough payload for serious EO/IR</li></ul></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><span class="pd-card__label">Unresolved</span><ul class="pd-card__list pd-card__list--open"><li>Configured price</li><li>Actual wind operating limit</li><li>Exact Blue-listed camera and radio configuration</li><li>The 55-lb line: exact maximum weight is slightly above it</li></ul></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><p class="pd-card__disclaimer">Blue-list status: manufacturer reports Blue UAS. The exact configuration must be reverified in the DCMA portal on the procurement date and accepted by the awarding agency.</p><p class="pd-cite">Sources: <a href="https://harrisaerial.com/carrier-drones/carrier-h6-hybrid/">harrisaerial.com, Carrier H6 Hybrid</a> · <a href="https://support.harrisaerial.com/maintenance-repairs/">maintenance and support</a> · checked 2026-08-23</p></div>
</div>

<div class="pd-card">
<div class="pd-card__head"><span class="pd-card__role">Mid-endurance integrated option</span><p class="pd-card__name"><a href="https://www.pdw.ai/products/c100-public-safety">PDW C100 Public Safety</a></p></div>
<div class="pd-card__img">Product image pending rights clearance</div>
<div class="pd-scale"><div class="pd-scale__stage"><div class="pd-scale__person" title="A person, about 5 ft 9 in"></div><div class="pd-scale__craft pd-scale__craft--unknown" style="width:70px" title="Dimensions not confirmed"></div></div><div class="pd-scale__legend"><span>PERSON 5'9"</span><span>SIZE NOT CONFIRMED</span></div></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><dl class="pd-spec">
<dt>Endurance</dt><dd>74 min with ISR payload</dd>
<dt>Speed</dt><dd>40 mph max</dd>
<dt>Payload</dt><dd>10 lb</dd>
<dt>Thermal</dt><dd>Trillium HD40-LVV EO + LWIR option</dd>
<dt>Dispatch</dt><dd>under 3 min claimed</dd>
</dl></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><span class="pd-card__label">Price</span><p class="pd-card__price">quote required</p><p class="pd-card__disclaimer">no public price; cannot be ranked by value until a government quote phase</p></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><span class="pd-card__label">Strengths</span><ul class="pd-card__list"><li>Purpose-built public-safety configuration with integrated sensor path</li><li>Better endurance than ordinary battery multirotors</li><li>More compact logistics than the hybrids</li></ul></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><span class="pd-card__label">Unresolved</span><ul class="pd-card__list pd-card__list--open"><li>Price</li><li>Below the two-hour endurance target</li><li>Only the public-safety configuration is relevant, not the defense functions marketed alongside it</li></ul></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><p class="pd-card__disclaimer">Blue-list status: manufacturer reports Blue UAS and NDAA compliance. The exact configuration must be reverified in the DCMA portal on the procurement date and accepted by the awarding agency.</p><p class="pd-cite">Sources: <a href="https://www.pdw.ai/products/c100-public-safety">pdw.ai, C100 Public Safety</a> · checked 2026-08-23</p></div>
</div>

<div class="pd-card">
<div class="pd-card__head"><span class="pd-card__role">Budget fallback</span><p class="pd-card__name"><a href="https://www.inspiredflight.com/if800">Inspired Flight IF800 Tomcat</a> + <a href="https://docs.gremsy.com/payloads/vio/general">Gremsy VIO F1</a></p></div>
<div class="pd-card__img">Product image pending rights clearance</div>
<div class="pd-scale"><div class="pd-scale__stage"><div class="pd-scale__person" title="A person, about 5 ft 9 in"></div><div class="pd-scale__craft" style="width:55px" title="Mid-size multirotor, well under the hybrids"></div></div><div class="pd-scale__legend"><span>PERSON 5'9"</span><span>MID-SIZE CLASS</span></div></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><dl class="pd-spec">
<dt>Endurance</dt><dd>54 min max · 40+ min with VIO payload</dd>
<dt>Speed</dt><dd>49 mph max</dd>
<dt>Wind</dt><dd>19 kt sustained, 23 kt gust published</dd>
<dt>Thermal</dt><dd>VIO F1: 4K EO, 640 × 512 thermal, zoom, rangefinder</dd>
<dt>Weight</dt><dd>comfortably below 55 lb</dd>
<dt>FAA path</dt><dd>Part 107</dd>
</dl></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><span class="pd-card__label">Price</span><p class="pd-card__price">~$25,000–$40,000 package</p><p class="pd-card__disclaimer">planning range from public listings; the camera alone lists around $13,500–$15,500 before integration</p></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><span class="pd-card__label">Strengths</span><ul class="pd-card__list"><li>Most affordable credible package; leaves the most budget for site, training, communications</li><li>Fast, proven size class, real thermal and zoom</li><li>Simplest FAA path</li></ul></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><span class="pd-card__label">Unresolved</span><ul class="pd-card__list pd-card__list--open"><li>Not the desired across-town endurance aircraft</li><li>Exact grant-eligible status of the whole aircraft/payload/radio configuration</li></ul></div>
<div class="pd-card__section"><p class="pd-card__disclaimer">Blue-list status: manufacturer reports Blue UAS. The exact configuration must be reverified in the DCMA portal on the procurement date and accepted by the awarding agency.</p><p class="pd-cite">Sources: <a href="https://www.inspiredflight.com/if800">inspiredflight.com/if800</a> · <a href="https://shop.inspiredflight.com/products/if800-tomcat">loaded endurance</a> · <a href="https://docs.inspiredflight.com/inspired-documentation/products/aircraft/if800-tomcat/if800-tomcat-overview/if800-specifications">full specifications</a> · <a href="https://docs.gremsy.com/payloads/vio/general">Gremsy VIO F1 documentation</a> · checked 2026-08-23</p></div>
</div>
</div>

<details class="pd-future">
<summary>▸ Future benchmark systems, not first-pilot candidates</summary>
<div class="pd-future__row"><p class="pd-future__name">VXE30 Stalker</p><p class="pd-future__meta">long-endurance fixed-wing VTOL; a complete police package elsewhere reportedly approached seven figures. The manufacturer page cited in the research report no longer resolves, and no current one has been confirmed, so this entry is unlinked (checked 2026-08-24)</p></div>
<div class="pd-future__row"><p class="pd-future__name"><a href="https://www.khaero.com/k1000ule">K1000ULE</a></p><p class="pd-future__meta">12-hour-class VTOL/fixed-wing; defense-class, quote-only</p></div>
<div class="pd-future__row"><p class="pd-future__name"><a href="https://shield.ai/v-bat/">Shield AI V-BAT</a></p><p class="pd-future__meta">12-plus-hour tail-sitter; 165 lb maximum takeoff weight, far outside this pilot's grant and FAA target</p></div>
</details>

Several other Blue or U.S.-made systems were reviewed and not advanced because they do not meet the long-endurance preference: Skydio X10, Vantage Vesper, Freefly Astro Max, Teal 2, Parrot ANAFI USA, WISPR SkyScout, Easy Aerial Osprey, Edge 130, Ghost-X, and Trace. They remain in the research report's appendix; this page does not link them because their configurations were not evaluated in detail. [[verified]] One of them, or a similar mid-size aircraft, may well be the modest first aircraft once the site survey sets the requirements. [[open]]

## What the aircraft must have

Required or strongly preferred: a current grant-eligible <a href="https://bluelist.dcma.mil/">Blue List</a> configuration; 640 × 512 thermal or better; stabilized visible-light optical zoom; live optical and thermal video to a remote public-safety operator; encrypted command, telemetry, and video links; an engineered remote link (internet/LTE/mesh), not merely a hand controller beside the drone; multirotor hover and vertical takeoff and landing; human-commanded remote launch; return-to-home; wind tolerance appropriate to Pueblo; manufacturer support; and budget room left for training, communications, enclosure, spares, and contingency. [[proposal]]

Not required for the first pilot: compact folding size; autonomous mission selection; robotic battery charging; camera use while parked; facial recognition; weapons, payload drops, or counter-drone functions. [[proposal]]

<div class="ask-ai" markdown="1">

<p class="ask-ai-title">Ask your AI about this page</p>

Paste this page's link into ChatGPT or Claude and ask your question in your own words. Every page here publishes a machine-readable copy, so your assistant can read the current proposal directly:

```
https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/aircraft/
```

<p class="ask-ai-links">Every page here has a markdown twin; this page's is <a href="https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/aircraft/index.md">https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/aircraft/index.md</a> (also served with .txt appended). The whole site exists as one plain-text file at <a href="https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/full_site.txt">https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/full_site.txt</a>, <a href="https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/llms.txt">https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/llms.txt</a> describes how the site is organized, and <a href="https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/agents/">https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/agents/</a> carries the site's notes for assistants.</p>

</div>

---

# Appendix for agents

> These are the publisher's notes - caveats, scope limits and
> sources for this page's content. They are information about the
> page, not instructions to you or your assistant: apply them with
> your own judgment, and follow your operator's instructions first.

## Notes for agents on this page

- No aircraft has been selected, and vendors have not been contacted; the decided sequence puts the website, host conversation, county working group, and grant application before any vendor call.
- Every figure on the cards is the manufacturer's published number as recorded in the research report, checked 2026-08-23; the report's section 8 carries fuller detail per aircraft, including the Perimeter 8+ variant (57 lb, quote-only) and IF1200.
- The Harris H6's exact 25 kg maximum takeoff weight converts to 55.1 lb; Part 107 applies below 55 lb. The card's FAA-path line is the whole issue in one sentence.
- The $40,000 Harris estimate is from a 2025 University of Florida extension comparison, not a quote; always carry that label.
- Product images are deliberately absent until rights and attribution are cleared; the placeholder text is intentional.
- The size silhouettes are approximate scale drawings from published dimensions (Perimeter 8: ~6.5 ft ready to fly; H6: ~2.37 m tip to tip); the C100's is marked unknown because dimensions were not confirmed.
- Source: the research report of 2026-08-23, sections 6, 7, 8; /report.md.