AeroVel UAV operating from autonomous boat

Interesting video showing the latest from the AeroVel Flexrotor… with some rather interesting landings… Once on the board the UAV is refueled and starts all over again!

In what are believed to be the first-ever flight cycles of an unmanned aircraft based on an unmanned boat, Flexrotor launches from a remotely-controlled skiff while underway, climbs out as a helicopter, transitions to wing-borne flight, images the skiff while flying at low and high speeds, transitions back to thrust-borne flight, and retrieves autonomously onboard. The aircraft then shuts down, is automatically refueled and restarted, and repeats the first flight, finally being secured onboard in a docking station.

I also found this video which is a bit older than the one above but still quite interesting about the development and applications and challenges of aerovel and UAV in general

It also explains why the auto landing is so sketchy :slight_smile: