Airbus has finalised its acquisition of unmanned air systems (UAS) manufacturer Aerovel, boosting its exposure to the tactical UAS market.
No financial details of the acquisition, first announced in January, have been disclosed.
Aerovel’s Flexrotor UAS has a maximum launch weight of 25kg (55lb) and is designed for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance missions.
The Flexrotor has an endurance of 12-14h and can take off and land vertically, which reduces its footprint when launching from land or from ships. It can also operate in GPS-denied environments.
Airbus Helicopters will be responsible for the new unit, where the Flexrotor will sit alongside the in-development VSR700 unmanned rotorcraft.
“We see more and more armed forces and parapublic agencies around the world looking to investigate how unmanned aerial systems can strengthen their intelligence and surveillance capabilities,” says Mathilde Royer, head of strategy and sustainability at Airbus Helicopters.
“The Flexrotor, as a vertical take-off and landing UAS, fits into our strategy to expand our UAS offerings. Together with the VSR700, we 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.”
