A decade-long investment in the unmanned, long-endurance A160 Hummingbird helicopter is set to enter a final proving phase at the end of the month. Boeing plans to deliver the first of 20 new production aircraft assembled in Mesa, Arizona by the end of June to a flight-test facility in Victorville, California.
Category Archives: Applications & Testing & Experience
Sikorsky Experiments Fly-By-Wire for Unmanned Black Hawk
Sikorsky hopes to demonstrate an optionally piloted resupply mission using a fly-by-wire-equipped UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopter by the end of this year. Continue reading
Eurohawk Ready for Testing in Germany
Northrop Grumman and Cassidian have confirmed that the Euro Hawk test-bed, the German version of the RQ-4 Global Hawk, will fly to Germany for payload integration and testing.
Innocon MicroFalcon Tests Complete for Peru Army
Innocon’s MicroFalcon mini unmanned aircraft system has completed flight testing as it nears delivery to the Peruvian army.
Shadow Flies with GE Flight Management System Designed for Manned Aircraft
AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems, an operating unit of Textron Systems, a Textron Inc. company, and GE Aviation announced that the Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System has completed a flight demonstration using the GE Flight Management System (FMS), a four-dimensional trajectory FMS certified for use in manned commercial aircraft.
Thales & Boeing Conduct Littlebird Flight Deck Simulations
French armaments agency (DGA) has contracted for several VTUAS demonstrations. Among them is a Thales-led effort to work with Boeing’s Unmanned Littlebird (a modified AH-6i) to explore various challenging elements of VTUAS operations on land and at sea.
Boeing Phantom Eye HALE Completes Vibration Tests
The Boeing Phantom Eye high altitude long endurance (HALE) unmanned airborne system completed 12 days of ground vibration and structural mode interaction tests this month at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
Elbit Skylark Operated by Dominator Command & Control Unit on Soldier’s Vest
Elbit Systems announced that it has completed a series of successful tests of its Skylark I LE mini/man-pack UAS using the Dominator hardware to control and operate the UAS. During the tests, the Skylark was operated by a new cutting edge lightweight Forward Ground Control Station (FGCS) which utilizes the Dominator organic hardware solution.