UAVs

Boeing completed the first flight of the A160T Hummingbird unmanned rotorcraft on 15 June from its facility near Victorville, CA. The A160T is the turbine-powered version of the original piston-engined A160.

The 12min hover flight saw the A160T meeting all test objectives and marked the 37th flight overall for the A160 programme that is ultimately planned to demonstrate endurance levels greater than 18h. The first A160T is the first of 10 being built by Boeing Advanced Systems for the Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency (DARPA) and US special operations command (SOCOM).

Hummingbird features new optimum speed rotor technology that significantly improves overall performance efficiency by adjusting the rotor system’s revolutions per minute at different altitudes, gross weights and cruise speeds. The 35ft long autonomous unmanned aircraft has a 36ft rotor diameter and is eventually planned to fly at more than 140kt with a ceiling of 25,000 to 30,000 ft including a high hover capability up to 15,000ft for up to 20h.