VersaTOL Demos Venom Unmanned Helicopter for US Army
VersaTOL recently completed another successful demonstration of advanced autonomy and it’s Venom unmanned helicopter system. The funded demo took place at Quantico Marine Corp. base in VA where the helicopter was tasked with autonomously flying in formation with a moving ground vehicle to inspect the road ahead for potential IED threats.
When tethered to the lead vehicle, Venom can accompany a moving convoy all the way from point A to point B without ever needing to land and with minimum inputs from an operator. In this role, Venom can seamlessly transition between flying low to the ground with advanced sensors to inspect the road ahead for potential threats, and high above (up to 1,000 feet above ground level) to provide comprehensive real-time situational awareness of the surrounding battle-space.
Venom is a sub-55 pound, all-electric unmanned helicopter system designed for military and industrial use. In the free-flight configuration, Venom can simultaneously carry multiple payloads weighing up to 10lbs, such as a Reigl VUXmini LIDAR and an EO/IR gimbal, for 45 minutes. Tethered Venom can reliably elevate a 10lb payload in adverse environmental conditions up to 1,000ft AGL for 4+ days continuous.
About VersaTOL.
For over 25 years, the team at VersaTOL has been developing advanced VTOL UAS technology and equipment for the US Department of Defense. As the FAA presses forward with integrating drones into the national airspace, VersaTOL’s mission is to make these advanced capabilities available commercially at a price that makes sense for businesses.
