Crop Dusting Operators Push for Rapid Entry into Production

Rotor Technologies showed off the newest addition to their production line in the form of the R550X, the "largest uncrewed civilian helicopter on the market".

The aircraft is based on the tried and true Robinson R44 Raven II, granting it a 1,200-lb payload thanks to its lack of pilotage. Much like its parent Raven, the R550X offers 3 hours of endurance and a top speed of 150 mph (given the right conditions, of course) allowing it to be used as an actual aircraft - not a tiny ISR drone. Rotor says its added software can "prevent common causes of helicopter accidents such as inadvertent entry into instrument meteorological conditions, vortex ring state, mast bumping, loss-of-control, and controlled flight into terrain."

Funny enough, Rotor is galloping along at full speed on the R550X, launching it straight to production as soon as it's announced. That process works here, because the R550X isn't a traditional crewed aircraft - the experimental category helo isn't designed to carry people, allowing Rotor to "leverage existing FAA rules and regulations to fly the R550X in agricultural firefighting, inspection, and maritime operations." That makes this one a working bird, not really all that different from the average Robinson aircraft out there in the wild, but this one will have nothing but empty seats while in flight. Rotor says that two R550Xs are underway at the company's New Hampshire facility, with Letters of Intent from AG operators expressing their intent to use the aircraft for crop dusting.

If the project pans out, Rotor will have those operators to thank for pressing the issue. According to CCO Ben Frank, it wouldn't have happened had they not pushed for immediate production.

FMI: www.rotor.ai