Precision Integrated Programs of Newberg, Oregon, an aviation services company, has placed a launch order for Flexrotor, Aerovel’s exceptional long-endurance VTOL UAV. Delivery of aircraft and support equipment is scheduled for spring 2015.
Precision’s Matt Parker explained that, “We are going after new civil applications at sea and on land which require big improvements over existing aircraft in economics, footprint, and endurance. Flexrotor provides the quantum leap in the state of the art that can make these applications technically and economically practical.”
Precision’s aircraft will be equipped for daylight video imaging with a new-generation turret, from Alticam Vision, that builds upon more than a decade of experience in small unmanned aircraft. Planned deployments include reconnaissance over the Arctic Ocean, where vast distances and long summer days will allow Flexrotor’s extraordinary endurance to be used to full advantage. The aircraft will also be fitted with Aerovel’s newly introduced “Rutger Legs”, which transform from a rear fuselage aerodynamically-refined for wing-borne flight into a legged undercarriage for VTOL – if necessary in a small clearing with no ground support. Flexrotor’s footprint is small, and its basing flexibility is unprecedented for a long-range aircraft.
Tad McGeer of Aerovel, commenting on the order, said that, “Our two companies share the goal of making civil applications economic, and now we are going to put our ideas into service. We have an aircraft and an organisation that can blaze a trail, and we can follow it with something much better as we gain experience together with our ultimate customers.”
Precision’s Integrated Programs division is dedicated to providing unparalleled service and support to our customers and the broader unmanned systems industry. It focusses its efforts in direct support of unmanned programs for commercial interests, wildlife and environmental preservation bodies, humanitarian and disaster relief/emergency response organisations, and USG national defence, intelligence, and Homeland Security entities.
Aerovel is a privately-held company based in the northwest United States. It was founded in 2006 to develop autonomous aircraft, primarily for civil applications.