Piasecki Aircraft Corporation (Piasecki) has achieved a significant milestone in vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) technology with the maiden flight of its Aerial Reconfigurable Embedded System Demonstration Vehicle (ARES-DV). This historic flight, conducted on September 6, featured two tethered hover flights and marks the beginning of a programme designed to showcase ARES's potential for transforming autonomous airborne casualty evacuation (CASEVAC), cargo resupply, and other multi-mission operations.
The ARES-DV is a modular tilt-duct VTOL vehicle, capable of functioning as an unmanned aerial system (UAS) or with an optional manned flight module. It boasts a compact landing footprint, making it suitable for shipboard and expeditionary operations. Designed to support small, distributed combat units, ARES offers embedded multi-mission capabilities including C4I, ISR, combat, and logistics support. The vehicle's modular design allows for rapid reconfiguration with Mission Payload Modules, providing versatility while reducing logistics footprint and costs.
The initial flight took place at Piasecki's West Helipad in Essington, Pennsylvania. The ARES-DV Flight Module performed a successful hover lasting approximately one minute before landing. Following this, the U.S. Army's Mobile Multiple Mission Module (M4) was attached to the ARES-DV Flight Module, and a second successful hover was conducted. This demonstrated the vehicle's capability to maintain a stable hover across various configurations and conditions, thanks to its advanced triplex fly-by-wire flight control system.
John Piasecki, CEO of Piasecki Aircraft, highlighted the achievement as a culmination of years of research and development. He expressed gratitude to the U.S. Air Force and Army, as well as the company's employees and partners, for their support. The next development phase will focus on expanding the aircraft's flight envelope and demonstrating fully autonomous CASEVAC and logistics resupply capabilities.
The ARES features Honeywell Aerospace's Compact Fly-By-Wire system, a lightweight and robust flight control technology designed to fit into the constrained space of smaller aircraft. This advanced system delivers safety-critical capabilities usually found in larger airliners and fighter jets, ensuring precise handling and stability across various flight conditions. Its compact design is particularly beneficial for VTOL aircraft, where space efficiency and weight management are crucial.
