Originally Posted by
Spunky Monkey
Funnily enough I was thinking the same in the early hours of yesterday.
Perhaps its because they can launch them from any road or hardened surface quite close to the front giving them more range, without the need of a specialist launch vehicle.
The launch vehicle needs time to set up, load the unit, dispatch and bug out.
These drones can be assembled in a barn wheeled out and probably only need a short takeoff run with the high aspect ratio wing.
Having a droppable undercarriage would add complexity for little gain.
I think you are over thinking the problem. Fixed u/c is lighter, less complex and doesn't fail. It's a very thin structure so probably doesn't impart much drag on the craft decreasing it's range significantly. It means the craft can be recovered easily as apposed trying to catch it or land it on a dolly. It's only viable to have a u/c that can be raised by more complex (and more expensive) drones.