The remotely piloted helicopter of Leonardo it obtained the basic military certification from the DAAA (Directorate of Aeronautical Armaments and Airworthiness). This is the first military certification in the world for an aircraft in the 200 kg weight class with these characteristics.
In detail, theAWHero it is capable of performing civil and military, land and naval, day and night missions and is the only RUAS (Rotary Unmanned Air System) in its weight class designed with the same safety concepts also applied to helicopters. “High reliability and maintainability ensure low operating costs”. In fact, it can operate from the deck of a ship alongside helicopters or conventional aircraft.
The certification - explained Leonardo in a note - includes the possibility of operating on board naval units and highlights the solidity of the AWHero design approach, paving the way for the development, integration and validation of further capabilities already designed and envisaged for this system. Furthermore, this military certification is based on parts of the NATO standard STANAG4702 defined for remotely piloted helicopters.
The design of the AWHero benefits from Leonardo's solid expertise in the development of rotary-wing aircraft and was designed with the same safety ideals as helicopters in the naval sector. Already in 2019, the AWHero was involved in defense and security exercises under the initiative OCEAN2020 of the EU, the program dedicated to technology for maritime surveillance and security which includes 43 different actors and led by the Company.
Currently, the AWHero is being evaluated in international competitions. The proposal of Northrop Grumman and Leonardo, based on the AWHero, in Australia has been selected to move on to the next phase of the competition aimed at increasing operational effectiveness and strengthening decision-making capabilities in Australian Navy missions.
