Airbus said on May 7 that it has bought Bingen, Wash.-based Aerovel–a move that may expand Airbus’ U.S. defense business.
A several dozen employee firm, Aerovel builds the Flextotor vertical takeoff and landing helicopter drone.
“Flexrotor is a small tactical unmanned aerial system designed for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions at sea and over land,” Airbus said. “With the ability to autonomously launch and recover from either land or sea requiring only a 3.7 by 3.7 m (12 by 12 ft.) area, the Flexrotor is ideal for expeditionary missions requiring minimal footprint. Through the support of the U.S. Department of Defense and contracted deployment in a variety of maritime security exercises, the Flexrotor is a mission-proven, force multiplier for operations in harsh, high-threat, GPS-denied environments. The Flexrotor is also being operated for parapublic missions such as forest fire surveillance (providing firefighters with critical images day or night) and can address other demanding mission needs, including ice navigation (helping guide naval vessels through ice in the Arctic ocean), law enforcement, and border patrol.”
Flexrotor has a 55-pound maximum takeoff weight and is able to fly 12 to 14 hours in a typical configuration, the company said.
Airbus U.S. Space and Defense CEO Rob Geckle is to brief reporters on May 8 on how Airbus’ acquisition of Aerovel will affect Airbus’ presence in the U.S. defense market.
Mathilde Royer, Airbus Helicopters’ head of strategy and sustainability, said on May 7 that “together with the VSR 700,” Airbus “will continue to develop manned-unmanned teaming to offer our customers the enhanced and expanded mission capabilities that they require to monitor and safeguard their communities and critical infrastructure, while preserving essential assets such as helicopters.”
Airbus said that the VSR700 autonomous helicopter is “to fulfill the demanding requirements of global navies and those of armies in the 21st century’s contested and highly agile battlefields and seas.”
Development of the VSR700 began more than six years ago (Defense Daily, June 21, 2017). Based on the Guimbal Cabri G2 helicopter, the VSR700 has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,543 pounds, a speed of 100 kt and can carry 661 pounds of fuel and cargo, Airbus said.