U.S. helicopter manufacturer Bell Textron Inc. has unveiled their Aircraft Laboratory for Future Autonomy (ALFA). The program will be under the direction of Bell Textron’s advanced programs team which will execute future autonomous “fly-by-wire” flight operations. The ALFA program will aid in future development of autonomous flight control systems for Bell’s commercial helicopters.
Development For Future Platforms
The ALFA system as with other aircraft systems puts safety and redundancy at the forefront. AKFA systems separates safety functions from flight control functions, allowing for rapid development and evaluation of flight control technology without compromising overall safety. The first flight commenced operations at Bell’s Commercial Assembly and Delivery Centre in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada and will be furthered tested at Bell’s Flight Research Center in Fort Worth, Texas. “Fly-by-wire flight, coupled with additional capability that are being integrated into ALFA, provides a great foundation for Bell to expand on its autonomous capabilities,” said Jason Hurst, executive vice president, Engineering, Bell. “This aircraft will serve as a flying lab that will inform future autonomous technology development, which we can ultimately leverage to deliver the best rotorcraft solutions to global operators.” While no aircraft specifics have been announced, Bell Textron did disclosed that the advanced system team will explore technology development to further elevate Bell’s commercial and defense platforms.