New Flexrotor unmanned aerial vehicle uses Rockwell Collins nav system

A Rockwell Collins inertial navigation system and GPS system was used to guide the first flight of a new Aerovel unmanned aircraft system that transitions from hover to wing-borne flight.

Rockwell Collins said Aerovel's Flexrotor vertical takeoff and landing Unmanned Aircraft System performed its first flight on Wednesday, August 17, using the Athena Micro INS inertial navigation system and global positioning system.

During the first flight, the Flexrotor demonstrated transition from hvoer to wing-born cruise. The design combines the convenience of vertical takeoff and landing with a range of more than 3,000 kilometers and endurance of a day and a half.

Aerovel President Tad McGeer said objective of the Flexrotor design is to make operating costs low enough for civil applications such as offshore weather reconnaissance and geological survey.

The Micro INS is the smallest Athena solution from Rockwell Collins. It is described as a miniaturized all-in-one system with computer, sensors and optional mssion management and flight control software.