The US Navy (USN) has awarded Bell Helicopter a USD3.3 million contract to investigate the potential for future flight strain, fatigue, and tail boom cracking on the Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned aircraft system (UAS). Continue reading
Category Archives: VTOL
Drone Sets Record for Longest Flight by VTOL Aircraft
At 2:06 in the afternoon on August 9th, four propellers lifted an unusual drone into the sky. Exactly 22 hours, 29 minutes, and 38 seconds, the drone finally landed, settling back to earth at 12:39 P.M. on August 10th. It landed as the holder of a new record: the longest flight by a vertical takeoff and landing, or VTOL, aircraft. Continue reading
Northrop Grumman Confirms US Navy MQ-8C Fire Scout Order
Northrop Grumman Corporation is set to build 10 additional MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopters for the U. S. Navy, giving maritime commanders persistent, real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).
Safran signs MoU with Urban Aeronautics
Safran Helicopter Engines has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Urban Aeronautics to study new market opportunities and address power system solutions to support the development of an entirely new platform family of internal rotor aircraft. The Cormorant (formerly AirMule) UAV demonstrator is already flying powered by an Arriel 1D driving two ducted-fans. Continue reading
Korean Air Develops Unmanned Helicopter with Boeing
South Korea’s largest full-service carrier Korean Air Lines Co. and the world’s leading aircraft manufacturer Boeing Co. have teamed up to develop unmanned combat helicopters. Continue reading
MQ-8C Fire Scout Sales Take Off – Prices Fall
Three years ago, the U.S. Navy began testing Northrop Grumman’s newest version of the Fire Scout, a helicopter drone derived from the Bell 407 utility helicopter, for use in active naval operations. Now it’s time for Northrop Grumman to start cashing in. Continue reading
South Africa’s Paramount Unveils Tethered UAV
Paramount Advanced Technologies (PAT) is currently developing a Persistent Surveillance Tethered Drone for missions such as border control and anti-poaching, and displayed the aircraft at the Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition last week.
$150M Unmanned Helicopter Project in Changzhou
Jiangsu Tianyu Aviation Technology Co., Ltd. and the 60th Research Institute of the General Staff Department of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (60th Research Institute) held a signing ceremony for cooperation on an unmanned helicopter project recently.