Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

Honeywell in the second quarter of 2024 launched Honeywell Forge Performance+ for Aerospace, a cloud-based platform employing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). This AI-enhanced software suite is gaining traction with customers, with an order book that’s expected to accelerate in 2025.

Honeywell Forge Flight Performance+ is an improved version of Honeywell’s Forge Flight Efficiency, first introduced in 2019, which is a next-generation avionics platform that focuses on reducing fuel consumption and boosting operational performance.

Integrated into popular aircraft manufactured by Airbus and Boeing, the Forge product utilizes advanced algorithms, real-time data analytics, and cloud computing to deliver comprehensive insights into flight paths, fuel use, and environmental conditions.

This software not only monitors fuel consumption patterns but actively suggests optimal routes and speed adjustments in-flight, which directly impacts fuel efficiency.

The game-changing nature of Forge lies in its predictive capabilities. By analyzing historical data and current flight conditions, it forecasts the most efficient flight paths and altitudes, considering variables such as weather, air traffic, and even airport congestion. This predictive intelligence enables airlines to streamline fuel usage, reduce emissions, and improve on-time performance.

This innovation is positively impacting the values and lease rates of aircraft equipped with Forge, especially amid rising fuel costs and regulatory pressures for carbon emissions reductions. Lessors find Forge-equipped aircraft to be a valuable asset due to the efficiency benefits. Aircraft outfitted with Forge command higher lease rates and values as airlines look for ways to meet fuel economy targets while cutting operational costs.

As Forge integrates with more aircraft models, Honeywell’s solution is set to become a key driver of value in the aviation leasing market.

The Honeywell Forge Flight Efficiency software suite has been integrated primarily in major commercial aircraft models like the Airbus A320, A330, and A350 families, as well as the Boeing 737, 777, and 787 families. These aircraft benefit significantly from Forge’s suite, which helps optimize fuel use, streamline flight planning, and improve real-time decision-making. Boeing, in particular, is emphasizing every possible advantage it has, as the once-mighty aerospace manufacturer grapples with a litany of legal and regulatory woes due to safety lapses.

Data has shown that avionics directly affect values and lease pricing; the newer and more capable the avionics, the more valuable the aircraft in which it is embedded. This avionics-related metric has been given short shrift by the valuation industry in the past, but that myopia is quickly changing as avionics technology rapidly advances.

Aircraft OEMs, operators, and lessors are including new avionics products such as the Honeywell Forge Flight Efficiency software in their algorithms that assess an aircraft model’s intrinsic worth.

Demand for aircraft equipped with Honeywell Forge has increased as airlines prioritize fuel efficiency and sustainability. The software helps operators reduce operating costs by improving fuel management and optimizing routes.

This capability has been particularly attractive as fuel prices fluctuate and environmental regulations tighten, positioning these models as more cost-effective and environmentally conscious choices in the fleet.

This article also appears in the November 4 issue of our partner publication Aircraft Value News.

John Persinos is the editor-in-chief of Aircraft Value News. You can reach John at: jpersinos@accessintel.com

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The U.S. Air Force and Merlin Labs may begin autonomous KC-135 flight testing next year, the company said (Merlin Photo)

Flight testing of an autonomous KC-135 Stratotanker may begin next year.

Boston’s Merlin Labs, Inc. and the U.S. Air Force’s 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill AFB, Fla., have been testing the Merlin Pilot system to provide autonomy and automation for the KC-135 tanker to reduce aircrew and allow crew members to focus on critical mission tasks.

In February, Merlin said that it had signed a multi-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Air Mobility Command (AMC) and Air Force Materiel Command to develop and integrate the Merlin Pilot on the KC-135 to inform the Next Generation Air Refueling System and “pave the way for autonomous uncrewed operations of the KC-135–an unprecedented new capability for AMC and the USAF.”

Merlin said on Monday that its “airworthiness plan for the Merlin Pilot KC-135 testing has been accepted by the United States Air Force.”

“This joint USAF and Merlin project will evaluate the viability of scaling the Merlin Pilot to large transport aircraft, especially its innovative AI capabilities,” the company said. “Achieving this milestone demonstrates that Merlin’s system engineering processes are consistent with the airworthiness standards set by the USAF, and allows Merlin to progress towards aircraft integration, design completion, and testing operations.”

Air Force acceptance of the Merlin Pilot KC-135 airworthiness plan “is the first major milestone to be executed under this collaboration, and lays the groundwork for the Merlin Pilot’s certification basis and eventual Military Flight Release (MFR),” Merlin said. “Integrating the Merlin Pilot on the KC-135 kickstarts Merlin’s Part 25 airworthiness programs and is material to continued advancements on this class of aircraft. Merlin is targeting the end of 2024 for its design completion, with ground testing, flight testing, and demonstrations to occur in 2025.”

In June, the company said that it had received a $105 million contract from U.S. Special Operations Command to provide advanced automation for the Air Force C-130J airlifter by Lockheed Martin as a step toward such features for other special operations forces (SOF) fixed wing aircraft over the next five years.

Merlin said that it has had a two-year partnership with the Air Force and that this summer’s C-130J contract will provide advanced automation design and integration on the C-130J; ground testing; Test Readiness Review and flight test; full takeoff to landing demonstration; and integration on other SOF aircraft.

A version of this story originally appeared in affiliate publication Defense Daily.

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Pictured is a General Atomics MQ-20 Avenger drone (GA-ASI Photo)

General Atomics‘ Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) subsidiary and BAE Systems said that they are teaming to demonstrate autonomous electronic warfare (EW) systems that the companies believe could one day go on U.S. Air Force Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA).

Scott Bailie, BAE Systems’ director of advanced electronic warfare solutions at BAE Systems, said in a joint company statement on Thursday that the companies are highlighting “the maturity of autonomous EW mission systems in support of U.S. Air Force objectives” and that the companies are merging “proven EW technology and secure command and control on a rapid timeline in a small form factor well-suited for CCAs.”

The first CCAs are to be air-to-air, but others may be those for intelligence or jamming missions. The Air Force has said that it plans to field 150 CCAs in the next five years to complement F-35s and possibly other manned fighters.

General Atomics and BAE Systems said that they recently demonstrated “unique” EW features through a “secure, jam-resistant Link 16” network provided by BAE Systems, on a General Atomics MQ-20 Avenger jet drone–“used extensively” for autonomous drone/CCA development.

“The demonstration helps accelerate emerging networked electronic attack capabilities for U.S. Air Force Autonomous Collaborative Platforms,” the companies said. “The demonstration took place at GA-ASI’s Desert Horizon flight operations facility in El Mirage, California, and is part of an ongoing series of technology insertion and autonomous flights performed using internal research and development funding to prove important concepts.”

In April, the Air Force said that it had chosen privately-held drone makers, General Atomics and Anduril, for the first round of CCA.  General Atomics offered its Gambit design and Anduril its Fury.

The companies beat defense industry heavyweights Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, though these companies and others are free to bid on future CCA increments.

A version of this story originally appeared in affiliate publication Defense Daily.

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Avionics supplier Honeywell on Monday announced the start of an investment and collaboration agreement with autonomy provider Near Earth Autonomy to bid on for autonomous rotorcraft.

Honeywell said the initial example of this agreement is their teaming with Leonardo Helicopters as a competitor in the Marine Corps Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) prototype program. 

In July, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) selected Near Earth to lead this ALC team to offer advanced autonomy on the Leonardo AW139 helicopter. At the time, the company said this 20 month-long initiative aims to demonstrate solutions able to transport various kinds of cargo and for casualty evacuation in a contested environment in both crewed and uncrewed configurations.

NAVAIR’s prototype program specifically seeks to demonstrate rapid deployment of cargo up to 3,000 pounds over a 200 nautical mile radius, with the Marine Corps looking for aircraft to be operational by 2030. The prototype program uses an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA). 

Earlier this year, the Marine Corps first selected the unmanned version of Airbus’ UH-72 Lakota helicopter as a competitor in ALC. At the time, Airbus said with a contract agreement for Middle Tier Acquisition rapid prototyping with an OTA, the goal is to transition the prototype to fielding within five years.

The AW139 Near Earth-led ALC team is dividing the work into having Leonardo implement a fast-loading, security and unloading system for Joint Modular Intermodal Containers (JMIC) on its AW139; Honeywell currently provides the helicopter’s autopilot and will augment it for autonomous take-off and landing; and Near Earth will demonstrate a full integrated logistics system with onboard autonomy to guide the aircraft and modify flight trajectory to avoid hazards.

Near Earth will also demonstrate mission autonomy so “lightly trained” personnel can request, dispatch, monitor and retask supply deliveries.

“The ALC program is focused on achieving assured autonomy on an unprecedented scale. We are excited to partner with Honeywell, a leader in avionics and flight control, to create a comprehensive system for aerial logistics that can rapidly be put into commonplace use,” Sanjiv Singh, CEO of Near Earth, said in a statement.

Honeywell underscored the larger collaboration with Near Earth will allow them to jointly explore more opportunities for rotorcraft and unmanned aerial systems beyond the ALC Marine Corps initiative.

“Uncrewed aircraft are a vital means of keeping service men and women out of harm’s way in contested environments. But they must also be advanced enough to reliably and efficiently perform their missions, even in GPS-denied environments. Together with Near Earth, we’re seeking to advance the reliability and functionality of autonomous technology and build products that support autonomous operations globally,” Matt Milas, president for defense and space at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies, said in a statement.

Milas also noted they plan to focus on retrofitting existing platforms so that they will “be able to deliver rapid, scalable solutions.”

Honeywell said the agreement will support the company’s “portfolio alignment” to three megatrends, the future of aviation, automation, and energy transition.

This is the second autonomous partnership Honeywell unveiled this month. It recently announced a partnership with autonomous military aircraft software developer Merlin to focus on fixed-wing military aircraft.

A version of this story originally appeared in affiliate publication Defense Daily.

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The U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program may be a fit for a five and a half pound BriteStorm stand-in jammer that Leonardo said that it is developing to allow the U.S. and allies to counter integrated air defense systems and fly deep behind enemy lines.

BriteStorm’s Miniature Techniques Generator, paired with Transmit Receive Modules and antennas, “will deliver world beating stand-in jamming capabilities, protecting friendly forces against early warning, surveillance, and target tracking radars,” Leonardo said. “BriteStorm can act as a decoy to stimulate enemy air defenses. BriteStorm can also produce obscuration and confusion techniques to deny the enemy from building up a complete air picture.”

In the United Kingdom, the Royal Air Force’s Rapid Capabilities Office has bought and flown BriteStorm in trials, and Leonardo views DoD as a “key potential customer for BriteStorm,” the company said.

“The BriteStorm payload is designed to be installed on the widest possible range of UAVs and launched effects,” Leonardo said. “It will equip each platform with an advanced array of digital deception techniques, deployable at long range.”

“Depending on the situation, BriteStorm’s effects can range from barraging the enemy system with electronic noise to more sophisticated techniques such as creating dozens of realistic ‘ghost’ fighter jet signatures, confusing and misdirecting the enemy response,” the company said.

The Air Force has said that the first CCAs will be air-to-air but that other CCAs could tackle other missions, such as jamming and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.

Anduril Industries and General Atomics may conduct first flights in the next year of their Fury and Gambit offerings for the first increment of CCA–first flights that could result soon thereafter in the beginning of developmental test (DT) under the Air Force CCA Experimental Operations Unit at Nellis AFB, Nev.’s 53rd Wing.

The long pole in the tent for CCA is full autonomy for launch, mission completion, and recovery. DT could aid in ironing out any wrinkles in autonomy.

The Air Force has talked about 3 to 5 air-to-air CCAs under the control of a Lockheed Martin F-35 or manned Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter, but Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said last month that the conceptual number of CCAs per manned fighter is now higher, an indication perhaps of not only drones’ rising technological sophistication but of the possibility that the manned NGAD program may end or be significantly curtailed.

A version of this story originally appeared in affiliate publication Defense Daily.

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Honeywell in May 2023 successfully completed the first flight of its Honeywell Anthem integrated flight deck using Honeywell’s Pilatus PC-12 test aircraft. (Photo: Honeywell)

Honeywell, a supplier of avionics systems, and Merlin, a small company developing software for autonomous military aviation, have partnered to bring more autonomy to military and commercial aircraft.

The initial focus of the partnership will be fixed-wing military aircraft, the companies said on Thursday. The companies will evaluate transport aircraft, tankers, and fixed-wing special mission aircraft, Honeywell said in a response to questions.

Merlin, based in Boston, has developed the Merlin Pilot AI software and is taking a crawl, walk, fly approach to integrating its product on military aircraft. The partnership with Honeywell adheres to this approach.

The companies said Merlin’s software will be integrated with Honeywell’s Anthem avionics suite to reduce pilot workload and enhance operational efficiency for special missions.

“By enabling single-pilot operations and automating key tasks, this partnership provides a scalable and safe solution to ease pilot workload and optimize fleet operations for both the military and commercial aviation industry,” Bob Buddecke, president, Electronic Solutions at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies, said in a statement.

Anthem is not currently used on military aircraft. The company began flight-testing with the integrated flight deck in 2023. The avionics product is the first cloud-connected cockpit system that can be customized for most aircraft, Honeywell says.

Honeywell said the memorandum of understanding with Merlin support the company’s alignment with megatrends in automating aviation.

Merlin’s AI pilot is being flight tested on a Cessna aircraft to prove out the technology. The software then will be integrated into Air Force C-130J and KC-135 aircraft for further development.

A version of this story originally appeared in affiliate publication Defense Daily.

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Anduril’s Bolt-M small loitering munition. (Photo: Anduril Industries)

Maintaining a steady drumbeat of new product releases, Anduril Industries on Thursday unveiled its Bolt family of small, man-packable autonomous air vehicles that include surveillance and munition variants, which the Marine Corps is evaluating for its Organic Precision Fires-Light (OPF-Light) program.

Anduril’s commitment to artificial intelligence and autonomy is a key attribute of the new unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), including waypoint navigation and manual control in GPS-denied environments. The goal is to simplify operations by lessening the amount of thinking required for, and training needed by, an operator.

Using the example of remotely guided UAS that are “changing the battlefield” in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War to strike targets, Chris Brose, Anduril’s chief growth officer, said these first person view drones require skilled pilots and additional manual support.

“But at the same time, there’s those limitations to scale in terms of expert pilots, other manpower, and really what we’re trying to do with Bolt is make autonomous many of those core functions from the standpoint of a man-packable, AI-enabled strike system that can be very quickly by a single operator, set up, launched,” Brose told reporters on Wednesday.

A user display, be that a tablet, laptop, tactical assault kit, or some other control station gives an operator battlespace awareness and known and unknown targets can be tracked and followed at extended range, and struck based on an operator command, he said. The quadcopter can engage from any angle of attack, allowing it to strike the most vulnerable part of a target, the company said.

In addition to surveilling and striking ground targets, Bolt can be used for counter-maritime and counter-air missions, Brose said, highlighting the lineage to Anduril’s original counter-UAS drone, Anvil, which is a small quadcopter UAS that slams into its target in mid-air.

Bolt, the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) variant, and Bolt-M, the munition carrier, are both lightweight, 12.1 pounds for the former, and between 13 and 15 pounds for the latter depending on the explosive payload, which can weigh up to 3 pounds. Some of the capabilities of the vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAS include 45-plus minute and 40-plus minute flight times for the ISR and “M” variants, maximum ranges of over 12 miles, flight speeds of around 60 mph, and tool-less battery swapping.

Both variants include Anduril’s AI-based Lattice software system that enables autonomy, pre-flight and in-flight mission planning, and can be used in challenging and contested environments, day and night, Anduril said.

“It’s just now understood that sort of basic table stakes are the ability for those systems, autonomous aircraft, or other systems, to be able to operate in highly contested and often denied communications and electromagnetic spectrum environments,” Brose said of the lessons learned from the war in Ukraine.

Bolt includes a two-axis electro-optical/infrared gimbal seeker, and Bolt-M also features the same gimbal seeker, an optical proximity fuze, and an electronic safe and arm device with safe return to base functionality.

Bolt has been in development for years and Anduril is delivering Bolt-M for the Marine Corp’s OPF-L for testing and evaluation over the next six months. The Marines are also evaluating systems provided by AeroVironment—bidding the tube-launched Switchblade 300—and Teledyne’s Teledyne FLIR segment—offering the Rogue 1 VTOL small UAS—for the loitering munition program.

Anduril is eyeing potential opportunities with the Army for loitering munitions. Brose said the service is “doing an enormous amount of thinking and sort of revising how it thinks” about its requirements for different “sizes and classes” of the lethal unmanned systems. He sees Bolt having the chance to compete in the small loitering munition space, highlighting Anduril’s focus on AI, autonomy, speed, and warhead as differentiators.

Bolt-M is modular and is designed to carry Anduril and third-party warheads for anti-personnel and anti-material attack. The company highlighted that it designed munition payloads with specialized kinetic solutions developer Kraken Kinetics.

A version of this story originally appeared in affiliate publication Defense Daily.

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Northrop Grumman on Thursday announced it demonstrated the ability of a navigation system used by a MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial vehicle to operate at high latitudes within the Arctic Circle.

An MQ-4C named B8, the first production MQ-4C Triton upgraded to the IFC-4 configuration flies over California. It was delivered to the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. on Feb. 1, 2022. (Photo: Northrop Grumman)

The company told sister publication Defense Daily this demonstration test flight used a company-owned manned aircraft with a mounted Triton navigation system. It started in Deadhorse, Alaska and flew within 100 miles of the North Pole. 

The navigation system included the mission management computer and upgraded operational flight programs to demonstrate the Triton’s ability to navigate that far north.

The aircraft collected data over a five-hour flight, remaining in U.S. and Canadian airspace.

The company said this demonstration also validated ground-based GPS alignment and initialization procedures to allow operations from runways above 70 degrees north latitude.

Northrop Grumman also told Defense Daily this demonstration validated the hardware and software capability that currently exists on the MQ-4C.

Northrop Grumman argued this delivers on its commitment to provide intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting capabilities in the High North, operating in the austere environment of the Arctic Circle. 

The Triton itself is able to operate at altitudes over 50,000 feet for over 24 hours at a time. The company noted this means it can operate above harsh Arctic winds and avoid the speed and range impacts that limit performance at more medium altitudes in the 10,000-30,000 feet range.

This came after similar demonstrations over the Gulf of Alaska in summer 2023, including testing the Triton radar during the Northern Edge 2023 exercise.

The U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force operate the MQ-4Cs.

A version of this story originally appeared in affiliate publication Defense Daily.

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Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

As AI systems enhance the operational performance of aircraft, demand for such planes is surging, driving up base values and lease rates.

The global avionics market is on track for major multiyear growth. What’s more, artificial intelligence (AI)-infused avionics upgrades already are influencing aircraft base values and lease rates.

According to new research released in September 2024 by Fortune Business Insights, the global avionics market size was valued at USD 91.32 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow from USD 99.33 billion in 2024 to USD 179.44 billion by 2032, for a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.67% during the forecast period. North America dominated the avionics market in 2023 with a market share of 37.25% (see chart).

The avionics market’s growth is driven by technological advancements, as well as increasing revenue opportunities in international routes. Moreover, the rising procurement of next-generation military aircraft, both for transport and combat operations, is further accelerating market expansion during the forecast period. Innovations in military aviation typically spill over into the civilian sector, making commercial and defense aerospace two sides of the same coin.

Many avionics advancements in commercial aircraft got their start through military research and development. Global military budgets are ballooning, fueled during the past two years by increasing superpower rivalry and the Russia-Ukraine war. The U.S. spends by far more on defense than any other country. Avionics capabilities are expanding in tandem with these expenditures.

The avionics market is divided into two primary categories: hardware and software. In 2023 and so far into 2024, hardware has maintained a leading market share due to its multitasking capabilities, such as trajectory prediction and route guidance. Many original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have introduced new high-performance hardware solutions for both commercial and military aviation.

However, the software segment is projected to experience the highest CAGR in the coming years. This surge is driven by the increasing integration of software in avionics to enhance flight operations. Many OEMs are forming partnerships and joint ventures to develop the most advanced avionics software solutions.

The AI revolution… 

A megatrend reshaping avionics is the integration of AI. Avionics systems powered by AI are revolutionizing the way aircraft are flown, introducing unprecedented levels of automation, decision-making, and predictive capabilities.

According to Precedence Research, the global AI in aviation market size was estimated at USD 653.74 million in 2021 and it is expected to surpass around USD 9.98 billion by 2030 with a CAGR of 35.38% from 2022 to 2030 (see chart).

Recent developments in avionics and information technology have greatly minimized the need for manual inputs and actions by pilots, particularly for routine tasks. Pilots now spend more time overseeing, managing, and programming control panels within the cockpit, rather than focusing on the traditional hands-on flying of the aircraft.

AI-infused avionics are poised to further streamline operations, improve safety, and optimize fuel efficiency. Leading-edge avionics can help reduce fuel burn, which in turn reduces carbon emissions and helps aircraft meet new and stringent “green” regulations.

As AI systems enhance the operational performance of aircraft, demand for such planes is surging, driving up base values and leasing prices.

Conversely, older aircraft lacking these capabilities may see depreciation, pushing down their value in the secondary market. This trend is likely to redefine the competitive landscape in aviation, positioning AI-enabled aircraft as the future standard for both commercial and military aviation.

This article also appears in the October 7 issue of our partner publication Aircraft Value News.

Editor’s Note: To watch a video presentation on this avionics-related topic, visit https://www.aircraftvaluenews.com/video/

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ESSINGTON, Pa., September 10, 2024 (Newswire.com) – In an aviation milestone, Piasecki Aircraft Corporation (PiAC) successfully conducted the first flight of its innovative proof of concept tilt-duct Aerial Reconfigurable Embedded System Demonstration Vehicle (ARES-DV), marking a significant leap forward in vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) technology. The flight event, which consisted of two tethered hover flights, is the first step in a program to demonstrate the potential of ARES to revolutionize autonomous airborne casualty evacuation (CASEVAC), cargo resupply, and provide other multi-mission capabilities in support of small distributed combat units. This flight represents a commencement milestone in Piasecki’s experimental flight test program sponsored by the U.S. Air Force and Army under a $37 million Strategic Funding Initiative (STRATFI).

ARES is a modular multi-mission tilt-duct VTOL vehicle that can be operated as an unmanned aerial system (UAS) or with an optional manned flight module. ARES is designed with a small landing footprint to enable shipboard and expeditionary operations as well as provide embedded multi-mission C4I, ISR, combat, and logistics support to small, distributed combat forces operating over extended distances and in complex terrain. Rapidly reconfigurable Mission Payload Modules are supported by a common Flight Module to deliver multi-mission flexibility with significantly reduced overall logistics footprint and cost.

The ARES-DV Flight Module lifted off from Piasecki’s West Helipad in Essington, Pennsylvania, on Friday, September 6, and achieved a sustained hover for a duration of approximately one minute before descending. Upon landing, the team attached the U.S. Army’s Mobile Multiple Mission Module (M4) to the ARES-DV Flight Module, and conducted a second successful one-minute hover, demonstrating the ability of its triplex fly-by-wire flight control system to sustain a stable hover in multiple configurations and a dynamic ground environment.

“Since its origins as a DARPA conceptual design project, Piasecki has led ARES through years of research and development — design iterations, rigorous component testing, system level validation, and more — to mature the technology leading up to today’s landmark achievement. ARES represents another significant milestone in Piasecki’s 80-year history of bringing innovation to flight,” said John Piasecki, CEO of Piasecki Aircraft. “I’d like to thank our Air Force and Army customers as well as our dedicated employees and partners for their continued support as we move forward with the next phases of development. After successfully expanding the aircraft’s flight envelope, we will implement modifications to enable flight demonstration of a fully autonomous CASEVAC and logistics resupply capability. Successful flight demonstration of the ARES proof of concept demonstrator significantly reduces risk and accelerates the development timeline for a family of operational tilt-duct configurations for multi-mission VTOL UAS and high-speed VTOL applications.”

“ARES creates a new baseline for VTOL technology applied to heavy-payload, time-critical logistics crucial for dispersed operations,” said Barth Shenk, Program Manager at Air Force Research Laboratory.

ARES features Honeywell Aerospace’s Compact Fly-By-Wire system, an integrated flight control system that is both lightweight and robust. Designed to fit into the limited space available on smaller aircraft, this state-of-the-art system provides safety-critical flight control capabilities typically found in much larger airliners and advanced fighter aircraft. It enables precise handling and stability across a wide range of flight conditions, thereby enhancing safety and performance — and is especially advantageous for VTOLs, where space is at a premium and weight efficiency is paramount.

“The application of Honeywell’s Compact Fly By Wire in the ARES-DV not only showcases the ability of this technology to support a future multi-mission VTOL aircraft but also the great cooperation between Honeywell and Piasecki in a fast-moving program,” said Dave Shilliday, VP & GM, Advanced Air Mobility, Honeywell Aerospace Technologies.

The hover test flight was funded by an Army SBIR Sequential Phase II contract and by an Air Force TACFI Sequential SBIR II award. In November 2023, Piasecki announced that it was awarded a $37 million multi-year contract by AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm, in conjunction with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Army Medical Research and Development Command (MRDC), as part of its Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) program to accelerate ARES development and flight testing, among other advanced VTOL enabling technologies.

“We are deeply grateful to all our supporters, especially the visionary leadership and commitment of AFRL and TATRC,” Piasecki added.

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