Airbus tests multi-mission “cargo copter”
A sub-scale demonstrator of a future Airbus multi-mission unmanned aerial vehicle showcased its capabilities during a large robotic exercise organised by the Portuguese Navy and NATO last month. The exercise brought together military forces, universities, and selected industry partners.
The “cargo copter” had to operate in a dense robotic environment, validating the concept’s usefulness – particularly its modular design for easy, flexible, and rapid swap-out of payloads and batteries.
For the full-scale version, Airbus UAS New Programmes envisions a drone capable of carrying payloads of more than 250 kg over a range of 300-plus km.
Beyond the military applications, Airbus foresees a role for the Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAS in civilian use, e.g. for humanitarian and/ or disaster/crisis management. (cj)