Rotor Unveils First Production Uncrewed Aircraft Built on Robinson Platform
The aircraft, on display last month at Heli-Expo in Anaheim, California, will continue its North American tour with appearances in San Diego and Montréal.
Rotor and Robinson displayed the R550X, an uncrewed helicopter based on the latter’s R44 Raven II, at Helicopter Association International's Heli-Expo in Anaheim, California. [Courtesy: Rotor Technologies]
Key Takeaways:
Rotor Technologies unveiled the R550X, the first production uncrewed helicopter built on the Robinson Helicopter Company platform (based on the R44 Raven II), showcased at HAI Heli-Expo.
The autonomous R550X is designed for commercial applications such as agriculture, utility, maritime, and cargo, especially in hazardous environments, featuring a 1,200-pound payload, three-hour flight time, and advanced lidar and safety software.
Rotor expects the R550X to fly commercially in the U.S. this year, with plans for international expansion and low-rate manufacturing being developed in collaboration with newly appointed Robinson CEO David Smith.
Correction: Rotor selected Robinson as its platform of choice, but the latter is not involved in the development of the R550X, as a previous version of this story stated.
Rotor Technologies has unveiled the first production uncrewed aircraft built on the Robinson Helicopter Company platform.
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Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.
