Commercial Heavy-Lift Unmanned Helicopter Tested

Kaman Air Vehicles has performed a successful first flight with the company’s new unmanned helicopter, the K-MAX TITAN. According to Kaman, the K-MAX TITAN is the world’s first heavy-lift unmanned helicopter aimed at the commercial market. It is designed to provide more efficient performance of repetitive heavy-lift operations, and can operate in a wide variety of locations and weather conditions.

In addition to the platform’s commercial development, Kaman is also working with the U.S. Marine Corps on upgrading the autonomous capabilities of their two USMC K-MAX air vehicles through a funded government contract. Flight-testing is expected to start in the near future with Kaman’s K-MAX TITAN unmanned system and Near Earth Autonomy’s sensor-based autonomy suite.

The new K-MAX TITAN system will be available for upgrading existing K-MAX helicopters as well as on new production units. The K-MAX is a rugged, low-maintenance aircraft that features a counter-rotating rotor system, and is optimized for repetitive external load operations carrying up to 6000 pounds (2722 kg).

Roger Wassmuth, Senior Director of Business Development at Kaman’s Air Vehicles Division, commented: “We are excited to reach this major milestone on K-MAX TITAN – watching this capability take to the skies and knowing that we are going to solve some of the toughest challenges for our commercial and military customers.”

Darlene Smith, President of Air Vehicles and Precision Products Divisions, said: “Kaman leads the way with innovative solutions for our customers that are reliable, affordable and sustainable. K-MAX TITAN is no exception, whether the mission calls for firefighting, humanitarian assistance, or distributed logistics.”

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