Video Released of the World’s Largest Multicopter: The Advanced Tactics Black Knight Transformer
EL SEGUNDO, California, 6 May 2014 – Advanced Tactics Inc. announced that it has received government approval for and has released the Black Knight Transformer first driving and flying test video. Advanced Tactics is at the forefront of large scale multicopter design, production, and testing and the successful flights of the Black Knight Transformer open the door to a number of future aircraft designs that leverage Advanced
Tactics’ patented and patent-pending technologies. The patented AT Transformer technology combines the capabilities of a helicopter, such as the ability to take off and land anywhere, with a modular payload system. The ground drive train can be detached from the flight system and replaced with an amphibious boat hull, cargo pod, or ISR pod.
The flight test was performed at a private location in Southern California and a remote backup pilot was present for safety. The stability and attitude of the aircraft was controlled entirely by the autopilot. The only commands from the remote backup pilot were to increase or decrease overall power. Outrigger landing gear was attached to the aircraft to prevent it from rolling over in case of any mishaps during testing. The aircraft completed multiple short hover flights. Although the aircraft is capable of hovering at thousands of feet above the ground, the altitude was limited to less than 10 feet above the ground for safety. The aircraft was stable, controllable, and performed as expected.
that provide obstacle avoidance and decision making capabilities such as landing site selection. The aircraft provides a suitable platform for the recently demonstrated U.S. Office of Naval Research’s Autonomous Aerial Cargo/Utility System (AACUS) program and is already part of the U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory’s Enhanced MAGTF Operations Aerial Delivery (EMO AD) program.
The Black Knight Transformer was proposed in 2010 to the DARPA Transformer (TX) program (renamed to DARPA ARES), but was not selected for the program. That program was originally intended to develop a flying truck but in 2012 the goals were refocused on cargo pod delivery. The Black Knight Transformer technology demonstrator has been developed with less than $2M in U.S. government funding and within the original DARPA TX timeline including the first flight in 2014. The AT Transformer technology can achieve and exceed all of the original and new goals of the program and can provide an affordable and better performing alternative to the aircraft being developed for DARPA ARES.
Advanced Tactics is actively seeking investors as well as U.S. and foreign government customers. Please visit Advanced Tactics’ website for more information:
(We know the Kman Kmax, Chinnook and others are bigger ed)
