Non-Subscriber Extract
Hunter demonstrates automatic take-off and landing capability
By Gareth Jennings
05 October 2009
Northrop Grumman has equipped and fielded an MQ-5B Hunter unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with an automatic take-off and landing system (ATLS) at the US Army's UAV Training Battalion, Fort Huachuca, Arizona, the company announced on 30 September.
During the trials, the medium altitude long endurance (MALE) UAV successfully completed its first launch and recovery using the ATLS.
Hunter, which has been in use with the army since 1996, was originally designed to be controlled by a pilot during the launch and recovery phase of its flight profile, but the ATLS' differential GPS eliminates this requirement and allows the twin-turboprop (push and pull propeller) UAV to take-off and land automatically at pre-surveyed points on the runway.