UNMANNED ROTORCRAFT

摘要

As a concept, the unmanned reconnaissance helicopter has been slow to develop, primarily because of the absence of a firm requirement for such a vehicle, which would inevitably have a payload-radius performance significantly inferior to that of a less expensive fixed-wing unmanned air vehicle (UAV). The type of operator most likely to generate such a requirement is a navy that deploys expensive assets such as corvettes and frigates outside the reach of land-based patrol aircraft and without the support of a carrier. It is clearly possible to envisage scenarios in which it is desirable for such navies to see beyond the horizon, but undersirable to risk manned helicopters that are highly vulnerable to air defence systems. Unmanned rotorcraft also offer the prospect of use from vessels too small to operate manned helicopters.