Flexrotor

Flexrotor is a small vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) tactical unmanned aerial system developed by Aerovel, a US company based in Bingen, Washington that Airbus Helicopters acquired in 2024, for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions on land and at sea. It first flew as the prototype "Pandora" on 7 September 2010.

Overview

Aerovel designed Flexrotor to combine VTOL basing flexibility with the range and endurance of a fixed-wing aircraft, launching and recovering from a 3.7 by 3.7 m (12 by 12 ft) area without catapults, nets or runways. The aircraft transitions from vertical hover to wing-borne cruise using the same twin rotors, a capability Aerovel first demonstrated in August 2011. The US government approved export of Flexrotor to global civil operators without ITAR restriction in November 2014, and Aerovel partnered with AeroVironment in October 2018 to offer the type for the US Army's Family of Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems programme.

Airbus Helicopters, the helicopter division of Airbus, agreed to acquire Aerovel in January 2024 and completed the purchase in May 2024, with Aerovel remaining US-owned and continuing to operate from Bingen under Airbus' Special Security Agreement with the US government. Airbus has said it intends to run Flexrotor alongside its own VSR700 optionally piloted helicopter as part of a broader manned-unmanned teaming strategy.

Design and capabilities

Airbus' current technical specifications give Flexrotor a 2 m length, a 3 m wingspan and a 2.2 m rotor diameter, with a maximum launch weight of 25 kg and a maximum payload of 8 kg. The aircraft is powered by a 28 cc two-stroke engine, available in gasoline or heavy-fuel versions; Airforce Technology reports a heavy-fuel engine (HFE) was integrated into production aircraft from January 2024. Airbus states a typical endurance of 14-plus hours with a standard payload, a dash speed of 140 km/h, a minimum cruise ("endurance") speed of 85 km/h, a wing-borne ceiling of 6.5 km and a hover ceiling of 1,300 m at maximum weight. A separate Aerovel/Airbus product sheet states a 150–200 km (80–100 nm) link range and advertises a record-setting 32-hour endurance under lighter loading. Airforce Technology's project page cites higher maximum figures for an earlier configuration — up to 180 km/h wing-borne speed, up to 33 hours of endurance with an 8 kg payload and external fuel, and a 3,000 km range from a 2011 demonstration flight the source itself does not treat as a formal specification — so these should be read as upper-bound or historical figures rather than the current typical performance Airbus now publishes.

Flexrotor carries a Hood Technology Alticam steerable, zoomable imaging turret with daylight and infrared cameras for search and target tracking, and Airbus describes the aircraft as payload-agnostic, supporting plug-and-play integration of additional sensors such as meteorological, geomagnetic, radar, multispectral and communications-relay payloads. It flies fully autonomously after launch, needs no human contact during take-off or landing, and Aerovel states it can be boxed and stowed for transport by a single person in under 15 minutes.

Operational history

Flexrotor has flown operationally with US forces: Airforce Technology reports more than 100 flight cycles in Afghanistan and over 150 cycles on the latest variant during 2021 demonstrations for US Special Operations Command. On 8 March 2023, US Central Command's Task Force 59, under the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, flew Flexrotor from the flight deck of the guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton during International Maritime Exercise 2023. Aerovel partnered with AeroVironment in 2018 to offer the type to the US Army's Family of Tactical UAS programme, and Airbus and Naval Technology both describe continuing US Department of Defense support for the system as it enters low-rate initial production with the heavy-fuel engine.

Frequently asked questions

What is the endurance of Flexrotor?

Airbus states a typical endurance of 14-plus hours with a standard payload, and Aerovel/Airbus materials advertise a record 32-hour flight under lighter loading.

Does Flexrotor need a runway?

No. It is a VTOL aircraft that launches and recovers vertically from an area of about 3.7 by 3.7 m, without a catapult, net or runway.

Who makes Flexrotor?

Aerovel, a US company based in Bingen, Washington, which Airbus Helicopters acquired in 2024.

Who operates Flexrotor?

US military users include the Navy's Task Force 59 (Fifth Fleet), the Army's Family of Tactical UAS programme and US Special Operations Command, which has run demonstrations with the type.

How fast is Flexrotor?

Airbus states a dash speed of 140 km/h and a minimum cruise speed of 85 km/h; Airforce Technology cites a higher historical maximum of 180 km/h for an earlier configuration.