Aestavalis - Flight Unit

Name: Aestavalis - Flight Unit Species: Human Technology: Robot

Background

The Flight Unit is the most mobile of the Atmospheric robots in use by the UE Forces. The Flight Unit is based on the Standard Aestavalis Chassis designed by Nergal for use against the attacking Jovian robots. It is the only Aestavalis capable of full and independent flight.

The Flight Unit is capable of using both a Graviton Energy siphon unit and a conventional power plant, through the extra batteries and fuel supplies required to fly for any sustained period reduce its capability to store ammunition and would serve to increase its total weight.  However it is able to fly for long distances without a command vessel.

The Graviton Energy siphon allows the Flight Unit to draw energy from a graviton power beam supplied by a command vessel or a ground base, giving the robot a set flight radius but near unlimited combat duration. Enabling it to fight until its pilot becomes to fatigued to continue piloting the robot.

The use of a Graviton Energy siphon means that like all other Aestavalis, the Flight Unit cannot fight in buildings or over large obstacles, including mountain ranges and inside other vessels. The use of shields and engines increases the draw on its siphon engine and at long distances they are reduced in efficiency as the power supply becomes weaker. 

The Flight Unit's 'wings' are not used to give it lift in the traditional sense, as they would do with an aircraft or a robot that had a limited supply of power. Due to the robots use of a siphon engine the Flight Unit is able to use it thrusters almost constantly and flies by venting super heated gas from rear (backpack) mounted engine chambers in a similar fashion to a vertical takeoff rocket or aircraft. The fins are used solely for maneuvering and stabilizing the robot when in flight.  By changing the alignment of the fins the Aestavalis effects its shape and the flow of air over its chassis. Maneuvering in a way similar to a fixed wing fighter. However when not in motion the Aestavalis presumably uses maneuvering thrusters as the airflow across its fins would not be great enough to allow it to move. It is not known has the thrusters are powered but it can be presumed that they are a variation on a jet turbine engine, and use graviton power to blast heat air, and then vent it through ground directed ducts on its chassis. This would require large intake ducts, which would be venerable to dust and debris of the same types that can clog or otherwise effect the performance of normal jet engines, and to the same dangers of turbine fan strikes from birds or shrapnel.

Armour

The Flight Unit carries additional armor in the form of Ceramic and plastic plates, it can sustain heavier fire from conventional weapons that the Factor Unit. The Flight Unit is also required to take fire from every angles and to survive forced or heavy landings, leading to the necessity for heavier leg and lower body armor.

Defensive Field

The Flight Unit carries a standard Factory fitted distortion field capable of repelling moderate rocket fire and light fire from Heavy Graviton Weapons. It has the same power consumption and defensive capabilities as the shields carried on all light and medium build chassis.

Weaponry

The Flight Unit is capable of carrying all standard Aestavalis weaponry and has an additional range of mission specific (Flight Specific) weapons for combating enemies in flight, and land based enemies while it is flying.

Mission Specific Weapons

Pulse Cannon laser.
Guided Rockets.

Standard Weapons

Rocket Forearms (standard).
Assault Rifle (optional).
Combat Knife (optional).
Field Penetration Halberd/Lance (optional).

The Flight Unit's main weapons appear to be the standard assault rife and a battery of light guided missiles. Targeting information for these missiles is supplied from its command vessel, as demonstrated during Episode 12 - Those unforgettable days, when a computer identification program incorrectly identified UE fighters as being attacking forces and redirected the missiles from the Nadesico's Aestavalis to attack UE facilities and aircraft. When supplied with optional fuel tanks a Flight Unit is probably capable of making transatlantic flights, though it is not known if it must refuel during a flight covering such a large distance. Flight Units are probably not equipped to operate outside of an atmosphere, and as their engines most likely use some variation on a jet turbine they are probably limited to flight in an atmosphere (Earth and Mars). It is not known how Jovian robots fly though Jiro have been seen to use jet ducts when on earth.

View Airborne Aestavalis View Aestavalis using weapons

Additional Components

Flight Fins.
Armor Plating (External).
Enhanced Navigation and long range targeting modules.
High Altitude climate control and piloting equipment.
Enhanced Lower Body (Structural).
Guided Rockets and Ammunition Stores.
Fuel Tanks (Optional).