Caldwell Group, Certex Lifting Support U.S. Navy Drone Development

The Caldwell Group has partnered with Certex Lifting Products to engineer and manufacture a lifting system to support the U.S. Navy’s Triton MQ-4C Drone development. The system was used in the NAS Patuxent River Anechoic Chamber during two months of specialized testing. 

Certex was awarded the project in late 2014 and immediately partnered with Caldwell because of the Dura-Lite composite lifting and spreader beam products. Below-the-hook lifting devices made of composite materials are lightweight, non-conductive, and non-corrosive. The testing in the Anechoic Chamber required a material that did not interfere with the electromagnetic testing.

Caldwell manufactured the main lifting beam, spreader beams, and wing cradles. Certex provided shackles and manufactured the slings for the lifting system. All sub-assemblies were tested at Caldwell’s new 84,000-sq.-ft. manufacturing facility and then shipped to Patuxent River for use. 

Caldwell personnel were on site in August 2015 for the system installation and initial testing. “It was very exciting to be on site for the initial lift and an honor to support the U.S. Navy in this project” said Dan Mongan, product development specialist and lead designer of the Dura-Lite product line.