The Royal Navy has conducted the first flight of a helicopter-sized autonomous drone that is planned to operate from its ships in support of missions, including hunting for hostile submarines.
Currently known as Proteus, the drone has now completed its first flight at Predannack Airfield on the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall, in the southwest of the UK. This follows « ground running » trials at Leonardo’s Yeovil site in Somerset – where the helicopter’s systems, sensors and engine were all verified before it was allowed to take to the air.
Pour en savoir plus : Royal Navy’s helicopter drone makes its first autonomous flight
