Airbus Seals the Deal: Acquiring Aerovel and the Innovative UAS Flexrotor
Airbus has completed the procurement of U.S.-based Aerovel and its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), Flexrotor, in an effort to enhance its collection of tactical unmanned solutions. Flexrotor is a compact tactical unmanned aerial vehicle tailored for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) operations both at sea and on land.
“We observe an increasing number of armed forces and parapublic entities worldwide seeking to explore how unmanned aerial vehicles can enhance their intelligence and surveillance capabilities. The Flexrotor, as a vertical takeoff and landing UAV, aligns with our strategy to broaden our UAV portfolio. Alongside the VSR700, we will persist in developing manned-unmanned collaboration to provide our clients with the augmented and expanded operational capabilities they require to monitor and protect their communities and critical infrastructure while safeguarding essential assets like helicopters,” stated Mathilde Royer, Head of Strategy and Sustainability at Airbus Helicopters.
The Flexrotor, a state-of-the-art Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) Unmanned Aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of 25 kg (55 lbs), has been engineered for ISTAR missions lasting over 12-14 hours in a standard operational setup. It can accommodate various payloads, including an electro-optical system and advanced sensors, tailored to meet customers’ specific operational needs. With the capability to autonomously launch and recover from either land or sea, requiring merely a 3.7 by 3.7 m (12 by 12 ft.) footprint, the Flexrotor is perfect for expeditionary missions that demand a minimal footprint. Supported by the US Department of Defense (DoD) and contracted deployment in numerous maritime security drills, the Flexrotor stands as a mission-validated force multiplier for operations in challenging, high-threat, GPS-denied terrains. It is also utilized for parapublic tasks such as forest fire monitoring (offering firefighters crucial visuals day or night) and can meet other demanding mission requirements, including ice navigation (aiding the passage of naval vessels through ice in the Arctic Ocean), law enforcement, and border security.
Aerovel currently employs over 30 personnel and is on a significant growth trajectory. It will keep designing and producing the Flexrotor in Bingen, Washington, within an existing and established UAV ecosystem.
