Sierra Nevada, Volansi offer Voly T aircraft for US Army FTUAS

Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) and Volansi are offering the Voly Tactical (Voly T) aircraft for the US Army's Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (FTUAS) Increment 2 procurement.

John Steen, Volansi director of sales and business development for defence solutions, told Janes on 29 December that SNC, serving as the prime contractor, is providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) integration and compliance expertise, while Volansi is providing the airframe. Steen said the Voly T is a Group 3 aircraft that has an approximately 4.6 m wingspan and is powered by a 22 hp Suter engine.

Volansi declined to provide specifics for the Voly T, however, Steen said that the Voly M20, which has been flying for the Defense Innovation Unit and flew in a 2020 US Navy demonstration, is a model of the Voly T. The Voly 20 series vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft have a payload- and fuel load-dependent range of more than 563 km, more than 6 hours endurance, and an average cruise speed of 65 kt. The Voly 20 series platforms have a maximum gross takeoff weight (MGTW) of 104 kg and can carry 9 kg of cargo and 4.5 kg of sensors. It can also carry 13.6 kg of sensors without cargo.

Volansi has built multiple technology demonstrators to allow the company to rapidly increase the technical readiness level of the Voly T. Steen said that one technology demonstrator is flying and another should begin flying “very soon”. The company is using commercial offerings that are in development and flying to reduce risk for the US Army on the Voly T development effort.