DAIMLER-BENZ Aerospace (DASA) is pushing ahead with development of its unmanned Seamos sea-reconnaissance and location-system technology demonstrator, following a contract from the German Office of Defence Technology and Procurement.
Dornier, part of DASA, built the demonstrator to prove the concept of automatic takeoffs and landings from seaborne platforms, as part of its contribution to the work of NATO Project Group 35.
This vehicle, equipped with contra-rotating rotors and based on the US Gyrodyne QH50 helicopter, will be used for further development work, leading to operational trials at Meppen in 1997.
The object of the trials will be to show operational missions, consisting of automatic takeoffs and landings from ships, controlled en route flights through pre-determined way-points and on line transmission of video signals.
To achieve these goals, development work will focus on changes to the drone's flight-guidance software, the integration of a new navigation unit and installation of an Allison 250 C20 engine.
Source: Flight International
