Kawasaki’s supercharged cargo copter tests robotic ground crew

Kawasaki has shoehorned the supercharged 1,000cc engine from its wild H2R hyperbike into a heavy-lift autonomous cargo helicopter, and has now demonstrated a robotic system for loading and unloading it without exposing humans to those big blades.Contin… Continue reading Kawasaki’s supercharged cargo copter tests robotic ground crew

Hill’s disruptive HX50 aims to drag helicopters into the 21st century

The helicopter market has been upside-down for too long, argues Hill Helicopters. It focuses on commercial operators, where the vast majority of sales these days are made to private owners. Thus, there’s an opportunity for a company to come in and buil… Continue reading Hill’s disruptive HX50 aims to drag helicopters into the 21st century

Piasecki announces world-first hydrogen-electric compound helicopter

Hydrogen fuel cell innovator HyPoint has teamed up with Piasecki Aircraft on a headline project to build the world’s first manned hydrogen helicopter – but in the process, they plan to develop and certify a H2 system that can be integrated into any eVT… Continue reading Piasecki announces world-first hydrogen-electric compound helicopter

K-Max Titan: The first commercial heavy-lift helicopter with no pilot

For about a decade now, Kaman’s K-Max intermeshing rotor helicopter has been flying unmanned cargo missions for US forces in Afghanistan. Now, the K-Max Titan is becoming the world’s first heavy-lift unmanned helicopter for the commercial market, havin… Continue reading K-Max Titan: The first commercial heavy-lift helicopter with no pilot

Ingenuity flies farther and faster than ever on third test flight

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars helicopter has again set new records, flying farther and faster than ever on its third test flight on the Red Planet. Taking off from Wright Brothers Field in Jezero Crater on April 25 at 4:31 am EDT, the robotic rotorcraft reache… Continue reading Ingenuity flies farther and faster than ever on third test flight

Ingenuity helicopter makes first controlled horizontal flight on Mars

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars helicopter made history again today by flying horizontally for the first time. At 5:33 am EDT, the tissue-box-sized rotorcraft lifted off from what’s been dubbed “Wright Brother’s Field” on the Red Planet and flew for 51.9 seconds… Continue reading Ingenuity helicopter makes first controlled horizontal flight on Mars

Sikorsky’s S-97 Raider helicopter puts on a show for the US Army

Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky Aircraft’s S-97 Raider advanced prototype helicopter has shown off its agility in two demonstration flights for the US Army at the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. With Sikorsky pilots Christiaan Corry and Bi… Continue reading Sikorsky’s S-97 Raider helicopter puts on a show for the US Army

The Royal Navy’s Crowsnest helicopter readies for carrier deployment

The Royal Navy is ready to begin operational training of its new Merlin “Crowsnest” Airborne Surveillance And Control (ASaC) helicopter as it prepares for the aircraft’s first deployment aboard the supercarrier HMS Queen Elizabeth later this year.Conti… Continue reading The Royal Navy’s Crowsnest helicopter readies for carrier deployment

NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter readies for first flight on Mars

NASA says it plans for its Ingenuity Mars helicopter to make its first flight on the Red Planet on April 8 or later, depending on weather conditions and preflight tests. If successful, it will be will the first powered, controlled flight on another pla… Continue reading NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter readies for first flight on Mars