Thu, Jan 21, 2010
Site Is An Emergency Response Training Center In Kansas
The FAA has issued a Certificate of Authorization (COA) for the
FH 500 UAV which is operated and built by Flint Hills
Solutions of Augusta, KS. The COA allows for safe
operations at Crisis City, an emergency response training area in
the NAS located in Kansas. AirStar is a major contributor to the FH
500 UAV production as the FH 500 is built on one of AirStar's gas
helicopter platforms.
Flint Hills Solutions uses AirStar International's state of the
art gas RC helicopters as the platform to host FHS's UAS technology
for autonomous navigation. In addition to integrating an autopilot
system onto AirStar's helicopters, fully stabilized gimbal cameras
and video transmitters are also integrated allowing for remote live
video feeds to emergency responders. The ability to fly the FH 500
UAV over Crisis City allows it to be integrated into extensive
training conducted there for search and rescue operations.
Training includes hovering over simulated disaster sites such
as rubble piles and transmitting geo-referenced video to the
emergency response team on the ground. Roger Powers, founder and
CEO of Flint Hills Solutions said, "The COA is a huge step in
opening up the market for the utilization of AirStar platforms and
FHSs UAVs in Emergency Response scenarios. The fact that the FAA
has granted us this COA is proof that AirStar's helicopters are a
solid addition to our autonomous UAV systems by providing a
reliable, safe, and long endurance platform for our systems."
Having successfully received a COA, Flint Hills Solutions and
expects to be able to obtain an Emergency COA allowing them to fly
in different locations across the state or U.S., including tornado
disaster sites within a matter of hours.
The FAA had previously authorized the use of the Aerosonde UAS,
also manufactured by Flint Hills Solutions, at the
facility by Kansas State University. Crisis City is an emergency
response training area that is part of Great Plains Joint Regional
Training Center, and is adjacent to the Air National Guard's Smoky
Hill Weapons Range near Salina.
More News
Outboard Section Of The Right Wing And The Right Flap Separated In Flight And The Airplane Impacted A Farm Field Analysis: The pilot was approaching his destination airport under i>[...]
Final Approach Fix The fix from which the final approach (IFR) to an airport is executed and which identifies the beginning of the final approach segment. It is designated on Gover>[...]
"Our choice of when to respond, how to respond and on which targets to respond is a consideration that we make every time... Netanyahu also noted that anyone attacking Israel &ldqu>[...]
Estimated (EST) When used in NOTAMs “EST” is a contraction that is used by the issuing authority only when the condition is expected to return to service prior to the e>[...]
Aero Linx: Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations (CAPA) The Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations (CAPA) is the world’s largest pilot trade association representing ove>[...]
NTSB Final Report: Cessna 177B
See All