MD530F loses pilot, flies for 20 minutes
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MD530F loses pilot, flies for 20 minutes
Pilot shortage ? What pilot shortage ? 
Boeing ULB demonstrator helicopter flies unmanned for first time
Boeing 7/12
Boeing has achieved a major milestone in the development of its Unmanned Little Bird (ULB) technology demonstrator by flying the versatile aircraft unmanned for the first time.
Boeing demonstrated the capability June 30 at the U.S. Army's Yuma Proving Ground in Yuma, Ariz., about 130 miles from the Boeing Rotorcraft facility in Mesa, Ariz., where Boeing has tested the aircraft, a modified MD 530F single-turbine helicopter, over the past two years with a safety pilot on board.
The aircraft lifted off from a helipad, hovered briefly and flew a programmed armed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission around the proving ground.
After the 20 minute flight, the aircraft returned to the helipad and landed within six inches of the planned recovery location. Prior to the fully unmanned demonstration, the ULB Demonstrator had flown more than 450 hours of engineering flight test time as a rapid prototyping platform, developing and integrating the sensors and systems necessary to create an operational unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
"Expansion of the flight envelope to include true unmanned flight is a major milestone for the program and opens doors to a wide range of applications for this aircraft," said Dino Cerchie, Advanced Systems program manager for the ULB Demonstrator and A/MH-6X Little Bird programs, a part of Advanced Rotorcraft Systems for Boeing. "Previous autonomous demonstrations with this aircraft have included target identification, precision re-supply, communication relay and weapons firings."
The ULB Demonstrator mission payload for the first unmanned flight weighed more than 740 lb, not including fuel weight. The aircraft lifted off at 3,000 lb, but could have added an additional 550 lb of payload.
The A/MH-6X configuration, which is expected to make its first flight later this summer, adds an additional 800 lb of payload to the ULB Demonstrator design, giving it even greater flexibility in the field.
"The Unmanned Little Bird offers potential operators a low-cost, multi-purpose aircraft that will provide manned or unmanned options in combat, making it a versatile and easily deployable asset on future battlefields," said Cerchie. "We are clearly demonstrating the unmatched advantages of combining a cost-effective, proven airframe with emerging manned-unmanned network centric technologies."
The prototype aircraft is validating an autonomous flight control system that could be added to any manned aircraft. This automated flight control system includes integrated weapons systems, sensors and a ground control station. Cerchie said the entire package could be retrofitted to most existing rotorcraft.
Mark Hardesty, Boeing Rotorcraft Unmanned Systems test director in Mesa, said Boeing Advanced Systems is funding research and development of the ULB Demonstrator, which is demonstrating Level 5 UAV control capabilities, indicating it can be flown autonomously while its payload or sensor is guided from a remote site or another platform. One candidate for remotely operating a ULB aircraft is the Boeing-produced AH-64D Apache Longbow multi-role combat helicopter, which already has demonstrated such capabilities during UAV test programs.
I/C
Boeing ULB demonstrator helicopter flies unmanned for first time
Boeing 7/12
Boeing has achieved a major milestone in the development of its Unmanned Little Bird (ULB) technology demonstrator by flying the versatile aircraft unmanned for the first time.
Boeing demonstrated the capability June 30 at the U.S. Army's Yuma Proving Ground in Yuma, Ariz., about 130 miles from the Boeing Rotorcraft facility in Mesa, Ariz., where Boeing has tested the aircraft, a modified MD 530F single-turbine helicopter, over the past two years with a safety pilot on board.
The aircraft lifted off from a helipad, hovered briefly and flew a programmed armed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission around the proving ground.
After the 20 minute flight, the aircraft returned to the helipad and landed within six inches of the planned recovery location. Prior to the fully unmanned demonstration, the ULB Demonstrator had flown more than 450 hours of engineering flight test time as a rapid prototyping platform, developing and integrating the sensors and systems necessary to create an operational unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
"Expansion of the flight envelope to include true unmanned flight is a major milestone for the program and opens doors to a wide range of applications for this aircraft," said Dino Cerchie, Advanced Systems program manager for the ULB Demonstrator and A/MH-6X Little Bird programs, a part of Advanced Rotorcraft Systems for Boeing. "Previous autonomous demonstrations with this aircraft have included target identification, precision re-supply, communication relay and weapons firings."
The ULB Demonstrator mission payload for the first unmanned flight weighed more than 740 lb, not including fuel weight. The aircraft lifted off at 3,000 lb, but could have added an additional 550 lb of payload.
The A/MH-6X configuration, which is expected to make its first flight later this summer, adds an additional 800 lb of payload to the ULB Demonstrator design, giving it even greater flexibility in the field.
"The Unmanned Little Bird offers potential operators a low-cost, multi-purpose aircraft that will provide manned or unmanned options in combat, making it a versatile and easily deployable asset on future battlefields," said Cerchie. "We are clearly demonstrating the unmatched advantages of combining a cost-effective, proven airframe with emerging manned-unmanned network centric technologies."
The prototype aircraft is validating an autonomous flight control system that could be added to any manned aircraft. This automated flight control system includes integrated weapons systems, sensors and a ground control station. Cerchie said the entire package could be retrofitted to most existing rotorcraft.
Mark Hardesty, Boeing Rotorcraft Unmanned Systems test director in Mesa, said Boeing Advanced Systems is funding research and development of the ULB Demonstrator, which is demonstrating Level 5 UAV control capabilities, indicating it can be flown autonomously while its payload or sensor is guided from a remote site or another platform. One candidate for remotely operating a ULB aircraft is the Boeing-produced AH-64D Apache Longbow multi-role combat helicopter, which already has demonstrated such capabilities during UAV test programs.
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Random thoughts.
That would be a neat thing to see a helo go past with no pilot. 
Why wouldnt you want a pilot ? I would feel better with one that I am in if I wasnt the pilot.
Is this cost effective to remove pilot terror comments?
Is that a bad (is it a real threat) thing for pilots?
No computer anything is smarter or faster and able to multitask like the human brain.
HF
Why wouldnt you want a pilot ? I would feel better with one that I am in if I wasnt the pilot.
Is this cost effective to remove pilot terror comments?
Is that a bad (is it a real threat) thing for pilots?
No computer anything is smarter or faster and able to multitask like the human brain.
HF
Six inch accrucacy on landing.....crikey...that beats me on my best day!
But how cool would it be to stay sat at home, tea cup in hand, getting yer flight pay while yer bird goes out and earns all that revenue for the boss fellah. Now if they could come up with replacements for the drones in the office they would be onto something really keen!
But how cool would it be to stay sat at home, tea cup in hand, getting yer flight pay while yer bird goes out and earns all that revenue for the boss fellah. Now if they could come up with replacements for the drones in the office they would be onto something really keen!
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Certainly much more multi-skilled than the old standard issue US FA18 computers, you know - push, pull, left, right, shoot, now its got a redundancy capacity, with a capital R, to wit-
"armed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission" -
in triplicate!!!!!!!!!! - not to be confused wih gunnery, shooting or - letting a few orff -!!!!!!!!!!
Seriously there is a huge market out there for this software, apart from - intelligence, ECM, HEMS, tank busting, traffic reporting, surf patrol, perving, pilot transfer, etc.- there is the d***head mode.
This only needs a $2 seat pressure-sensor from your local ride on mower shop coupled to an on-off switch and- hey presto - those machines that take off by themselves, without any other mode switched on, will land automatically at say 1 second later.
It will need one essential parameter, low kit weight, as most d***heads fly R22's.
"armed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission" -
in triplicate!!!!!!!!!! - not to be confused wih gunnery, shooting or - letting a few orff -!!!!!!!!!!
Seriously there is a huge market out there for this software, apart from - intelligence, ECM, HEMS, tank busting, traffic reporting, surf patrol, perving, pilot transfer, etc.- there is the d***head mode.
This only needs a $2 seat pressure-sensor from your local ride on mower shop coupled to an on-off switch and- hey presto - those machines that take off by themselves, without any other mode switched on, will land automatically at say 1 second later.
It will need one essential parameter, low kit weight, as most d***heads fly R22's.
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Sorry to pour some cold water - but helicopters have been flying without pilots for many years.
The only difference is that this is a full sized one.
The only difference is that this is a full sized one.
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Originally Posted by ShyTorque
but helicopters have been flying without pilots for many years.
