Airbus Helicopters is expanding its uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) portfolio with the acquisition of Aerovel and its Flexrotor program. The vehicle is a small tactical UAS developed for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance missions at sea and over land.
The transaction announced by the European aerospace group on Monday is expected to be completed in 2024 once regulatory approvals have been completed. Aerovel, based in Bingen, Washington, will remain a U.S.-owned company and continue to work with the U.S. Department of Defense under Airbus’ Special Security Agreement.
According to Aerovel CEO Ali Dian, having the backing of Airbus “will allow us to scale innovation, accelerate our mission to advance unmanned aviation, and maintain our unwavering support for the U.S. military and its allies."
The Flexrotor is a VTOL aircraft with a maximum launch weight of 55 pounds that can handle missions lasting more than 12 to 14 hours. It can carry different payloads, including an electro-optical system and advanced sensors, requiring just a 12-foot-by-12-foot area for launch and recovery.
“This strategic acquisition aligns with our vision to expand our UAS offering and respond to a growing customer demand worldwide for additional mission capabilities such as manned-unmanned teaming,” commented Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even. He said that the Flexrotor will complement Airbus’ in-development VSR700 UAS and its work on interoperability.