Turkish drone maker teams up with Airbus to upgrade unmanned helicopter

Middle East, News, US June 3, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

Turkish drone manufacturer Titra announced partnering with aerospace giant Airbus to modify its Alpin unmanned drone helicopter. The collaboration aims to enable the drone to take off and land autonomously on naval platforms.

According to a statement by Titra, the company signed a cooperation agreement with Airbus Defense and Space to integrate the Airbus DeckFinder system into the Alpin drone helicopter. “As a result of this cooperation, the fully autonomous landing and take-off capability of all rotary wing aerial vehicles, especially Alpin developed by Titra, to move naval platforms will be made more precise and safer with Airbus DeckFinder,” the company said.

Titra’s chief executive Abdulkadir Sener told reporters at the security expo that the latest agreement would help the company fulfill the needs of Turkish naval military forces and other countries that have requested the platform for use by maritime forces.

Sener added that the Alpin is expected to be capable of landing on a moving vessel within the next six months. Additionally, he mentioned that after completing this task, there may be prospects for the two companies to collaborate on additional projects.

Airbus’ DeckFinder serves as a local positioning system, enabling both manned and remotely piloted aerial vehicles to ascertain their relative positions even in challenging environmental conditions. It offers a three-dimensional depiction of the platform’s relative location, enhancing the safety of landings in environments devoid of reference points or visual indicators.

*^{Alpin Titra Unmanned Helicopter. (Image Credit: Titra)}*

The DeckFinder technology plays a vital role in ensuring safe landings on compact or dynamic helicopter decks, where even slight deviations could jeopardize the success of the mission.

Titra Alpin helicopter

The long-range drone helicopter has been crafted for a diverse array of applications spanning military operations to civilian rescue missions. Drawing design inspiration from the crewed Italian-made Helisport CH-7 ultralight helicopter, the genesis of the Alpin traces back to 2019 when Titra forged a strategic partnership with UAVOS, a prominent drone specialist boasting a global presence across the U.S., Canada, and Spain.

Standing at an imposing 7 meters in length, 1.5 meters in width, and 2.35 meters in height, the Alpin made its maiden flight in 2020. The unmanned helicopter has a rotor diameter measuring 6.28 meters.

In terms of payload capacity, Alpin can carry a maximum payload of 200 kilograms, including the fuel. The helicopter weighs 340 kilograms when empty.

The unmanned helicopter can transport various payloads while providing operators with real-time information. It is equipped with a broad-spectrum satellite communication channel for remote control, a completely redundant autopilot system, autonomous takeoff and landing functions, a remote ground control network, and the ability to perform autorotation landings.