{"id":8397,"date":"2013-10-24T11:10:33","date_gmt":"2013-10-24T18:10:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/?p=8397"},"modified":"2013-10-24T11:10:33","modified_gmt":"2013-10-24T18:10:33","slug":"aerovel-autonomously-performs-takeoff-flight-and-landing-twice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/aerovel-autonomously-performs-takeoff-flight-and-landing-twice\/","title":{"rendered":"Aerovel Autonomously Performs Takeoff, Flight, and Landing \u2013 Twice!"},"content":{"rendered":"

As explained on their YouTube posting, Aerovel\u2019s autonomous flight of their Flexrotor aircraft<\/a> shows a remarkable level of adaptability and control.\u00a0 \u201cIn what are believed to be the first-ever flight cycles of an unmanned aircraft based on an unmanned boat, Flexrotor launches from a remotely-controlled skiff while underway, climbs out as a helicopter, transitions to wing-borne flight, images the skiff while flying at low and high speeds, transitions back to thrust-borne flight, and retrieves autonomously onboard. The aircraft then shuts down, is automatically refueled and restarted, and repeats the first flight, finally being secured onboard in a docking station.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aerovel notes that the boat was radio controlled, but the Flexrotor Pandora flew the mission on its own and without human intervention during the October 16 flight over the Columbia River in eastern Oregon.<\/p>\n