Sun, May 18, 2014
Instrument For Vertical Takeoff And Lift Applications Recives Commodity Jurisdiction From U.S. Government
Lockheed Martin's "Kestrel" autopilot has received its commodity jurisdiction, allowing for quick, affordable deployments for international markets. The Kestrel autopilot and a version of the vertical takeoff and lift Indago system are no longer restricted by International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and they are now controlled under the Export Administration Regulations.
"We are looking forward to working with our international partners to deliver the Kestrel autopilot, Indago platform and their robust capabilities," said Kevin Westfall, director of unmanned solutions at Lockheed Martin's Mission Systems and Training business. "The Kestrel 3.0 suite allows sensors to cross check each other for accuracy and fault detection. Additionally, the autopilot uses failsafe algorithms to return to base and auto land in emergency situations such as low battery or loss of communications with the ground control station."
The Kestrel 3.0 autopilot features the Lockheed Martin industry leading "Fly Light" avionics technologies. This advanced system incorporates data from a suite of sensors and GPS to create an accurate estimate of the vehicle's location and orientation. Low latency, high rate data is sent to the motors to stabilize and position the vehicle and payload.
To obtain approval for exports, Lockheed Martin submitted a commodity jurisdiction request, which determines whether an item is covered by the U.S. Munitions List, and therefore is controlled by regulations such as ITAR. The outcome of the request led to the Kestrel 3.0 autopilot and Indago system's availability for international customers.
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