Crewless helicopter gets step closer to first flight

THE Royal Navy says its first crewless helicopter is one step from taking to the skies after completing successful trials on the ground.

- DEAN MURRAY

Senior officers and experts from the MoD were invited to Leonardo's Yeovil site to see crewless helicopter Proteus 'ground running'

(MOD/SWNS)

Proteus - the size of a traditional helicopter, but with a pilot assigning specific missions to the aircraft rather than flying it - has been “flashed up”, testing her engines, systems and rotor blades.

Designed and manufactured in less than two and a half years at the home of British helicopters in Yeovil, the Proteus Technology Demonstrator is being developed by Leonardo under a £60m programme and is believed to be one of the world’s first full-sized autonomous helicopters.

The Royal Navy said this is the first step towards creating a truly autonomous vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft in this weight class.

Its role could include detecting enemy submarines, offering real-time intelligence to naval forces and assisting in search and rescue missions.