Rotor R550X: Your Ticket to Full-Size Autonomous Helicopter Ownership
Rotor Technologies is currently manufacturing a civilian-oriented, full-sized unmanned helicopter. Modeled after the Robinson R44 Raven II, the R550X boasts a flight duration exceeding three hours, reaching speeds of up to 150 mph (241 km/h), and accommodating a payload of up to 1,200 lb (550 kg).
As per Torklaw, helicopters experience approximately 9.84 crashes per 100,000 flight hours, a surprisingly low figure considering their reputation, especially when compared to “general aircraft” with 7.28 crashes per 100,000 hours. Despite this, helicopter operation remains notoriously challenging, leading to a rise in projects aimed at simplifying the flying experience. These initiatives explore solutions such as user-friendly fly-by-wire joystick controls or even more straightforward one-finger tablet control schemes.
The Safest Option
The safest option, naturally, is to keep humans entirely on the ground, and this has been the primary focus of Rotor Technologies, a New Hampshire-based company operating from its unassuming hangar at Nashua Airport, approximately 30 miles (50 km) outside Boston. Since December of the previous year, the company has been testing two autonomous helicopter prototypes based on the R22 model, covering nine locations in New Hampshire, Idaho, and Oregon. The testing phase concluded in November, accumulating “more than 20 hours” of flight time.
Read the Original Article: New Atlas
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