AFS’ cert for unmanned AEH-1

Aurora Flight Sciences has been granted the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Special Airworthiness Certificate to the firm’s optionally piloted aircraft, a UH-1H helicopter. The Office of Naval Research’s (ONR) development, the Autonomous Aerial Cargo/Utility System (AACUS) program, has added a complete digital flight control system to create the “Autonomy-enabled UH-1” (or AEH-1). The UH-1 was chosen for its latest conversion to a robotic vehicle. The certification permits Optionally Piloted Aircraft (OPA) operation with only a safety pilot required to monitor controls. The aircraft is currently flying as the test bed for Aurora´s Tactical Autonomous Aerial Logistics System (TALOS) technology. The UH-1H is the third manned aircraft Aurora has converted to robotic-controlled operation. (Source: Financial News 11/06/17) Central Mississippi Note: Aurora’s aerostructures plant in Columbus, Miss., produces the Orion Medium Altitude-Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.