The development of the Robinson Unmanned R44 AIRTRUCK remotely piloted UAV has gathered pace since the model was announced along with  formation of Robinson’s UAV operation at VERTICON in March of this year. With the company completing a series of demonstration flights from the Acadiana Regional Airport in Louisiana at the beginning of the month. The flights were carried out by Robinson dealer and service centre Aviation Academy of Louisiana. Also observing the trials were PHI as well representatives from industry and government.
The R44 AIRTRUCK is built on the Robinson R44 airframe adapted for remotely piloted operation using Rotor Technologies’ RPX unmanned flight system. It has a useful load of up to 1,000 pounds and more than 60 cubic feet of internal volume, cruising at over 100 knots, with an operational ceiling of 14,000 feet.
The purpose of the two days of trials was to establish the type’s operational readiness for offshore missions including cargo loading and unloading, elevated deck landing and airspace integration. The demonstrations were operated by a creative of two the remote pilot and a ground support operative.
Robinson says the demo flights illustrate its “Era of Both” approach, which gives operators the option to choose the appropriate technology for a specific mission type.
“This is the Era of Both in practice, the same airframe, the same parts, and the same people supporting manned or unmanned missions,” said David Smith, president and CEO of Robinson Helicopter Company. “Offshore operators have spent decades moving crews and cargo to platforms in some of the toughest flying conditions there are. When you build an unmanned aircraft on a proven helicopter, they don’t trade away reliability to gain autonomy. They get both, and they get to send the aircraft, not the crew, on the highest-risk legs offshore without giving up the load or the capability they have come to count on from Robinson.”
“Louisiana has been supplying offshore platforms since 1947, and companies like PHI have been doing the hard part almost as long. If an aircraft like this is going to carry part of that load, it must land on a deck and it must be maintainable here. Louisiana is where you find that out,” added Beau Prine, General Manager of Aviation Academy of Louisiana.
Image: Robinson Unmanned
