Airbus Helicopters has flown the first true prototype of its VSR700 rotary-wing unmanned aerial system (RWUAS). The craft flew at a drone test center near Hélicopteres Guimbal’s facility at Aix-en-Provence in southern France on November 8. During the initial trial, the VSR700 made a number of takeoffs and landings, the longest flight being around 10 minutes. The RWUAS was fitted with stabilizing outriggers and remained tethered on 30-meter cables to comply with safety restrictions imposed by airworthiness authorities. Trials will now proceed toward free flight.
This trial comes a year after Airbus flew an optionally piloted demonstrator for the VSR700, which is based on the Hélicoptères Guimbal Cabri G2 two-seat light helicopter, designed by a former Eurocopter engineer. The VSR700 prototype that flew recently is redesigned with a sleeker profile and a payload bay replacing the flight deck. It is fitted with an advanced autonomous flight control system.
The VSR700, itself, is intended as a demonstrator for a vehicle to answer the French navy’s Système de Drones tactiques Aériens pour la Marine (SDAM) requirement for a small, shipborne RWUAS. The small footprint of such a craft permits it to be carried by vessels that do not have sufficient capacity to operate manned helicopters, and to further extend the surveillance capability of those that can. The French navy intends to operate the RWUAS in conjunction with the forthcoming H160M Guépard.
“The VSR700 is a fully-fledged unmanned aerial system, capitalizing on Airbus Helicopters’ extensive experience with advanced autopilot systems and engineering expertise to provide modern militaries with new capabilities," said Bruno Even, Airbus Helicopters CEO. “This first flight of the VSR700 prototype is a major milestone for the program as we make progress on the operational demonstrator for the French Navy that will perform trials in 2021 in partnership with Naval Group.”
The French navy intends to have SDAM in full service by 2028 at the latest, with a plan to acquire 15 systems by 2030. In the meantime, the navy is introducing small drones on its frigates starting in 2020 to provide a measure of unmanned surveillance while the service awaits the deployment of SDAM.
