iPads Can Even Replace the Yoke? Not Yet, But Soon

Airbus has completed a series of hands-off helicopter flights using a "simplified human machine interface", controlling it entirely via tablet.

The flight was done under project "Vertex", operating under the umbrella of Airbus UpNext. The goal is to streamline and codify operation by touchscreen while simplifying mission preparation, management, and workload. If successful, Vertex developers believe it will be a measurable boon to flight safety.

The Airbus Helicopters "FlightLab" flew all phases of flight without requiring human intervention directly on the stick. Everything from lift-off, taxi, takeoff, cruise, approach to landing was flown by the system along a pre-planned route. The system is capable of reacting to changes, however, with the ability to route around obstacles and decide its own safe flight path along the route. during a one hour test flight by following a predefined route. During this flight, the pilot monitored the system which is able to detect unforeseen obstacles and automatically recalculate a safe flight path.

“This successful demonstration of a fully autonomous flight from takeoff to landing is a great step towards the reduced pilot workload and simplified HMI that the Airbus Urban Air Mobility team intends to implement on CityAirbus NextGen. It could also have immediate applications for helicopters in low level flights close to obstacles thanks to the information provided by the lidars on board,” said Michael Augello, CEO of Airbus UpNext.

FMI: www.airbus.com