Airbus Helicopters VSR700 flies unmanned
Airbus Helicopters’ VSR700 demonstrator UAS completed a fully unmanned autonomous flight at the military airbase in Istres in the south of France in December.
During the flight, the demonstrator performed a 30-minute flight successfully executing a variety of flight patterns before landing in an autonomous mode. The UAS was piloted and monitored from the ground station located at the base.
The purpose of the flight was to establish compliance with the demanding regulatory and safety systems necessary for future unmanned flight in France.
The VSR700, a light military tactical UAS, has an endurance of around eight hours at 100NM and is able to carry multiple payloads. The system will initially offer extended surveillance capabilities for navies, allowing them to preserve manned helicopter flights for critical missions.
The VSR700 is derived from the Cabri G2 light helicopter and has a low consumption diesel engine. It is designed to complement manned helicopters, without replacing them, on ships ranging from small corvettes to major warships.
As a part of its development programme, the VSR700 demonstrator has been flying since May 2017 with a safety pilot. The diesel engine, installed to meet naval and military requirements, has been modified during this period and the automatic flight control systems have been developed to meet new regulatory standards.
Rollout of the prototype is expected in 2019.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
![L3Harris launches Amorphous software for control of uncrewed platforms]()
L3Harris launches Amorphous software for control of uncrewed platforms
The new Amorphous software is a universal controller that would allow a single operator to control a swarm of “thousands” of uncrewed systems, from drones to underwater platforms.
-
![ideaForge unveils new UAVs at Aero India 2025]()
ideaForge unveils new UAVs at Aero India 2025
India UAV supplier ideaForge has launched the Netra 5 and Switch V2 drones at Aero India 2025, boasting of enhanced endurance, AI-driven autonomy and improved operational capabilities.
-
![Shaping the future of defence: What 2025 holds for the global drone market]()
Shaping the future of defence: What 2025 holds for the global drone market
The UAV market is experiencing unprecedented growth, with innovations in technology and battlefield applications driving demand across military sectors. From the battlefields of Ukraine to NATO exercises and beyond, drones are transforming how wars are fought and supported.
-
![Maris-Tech confirms customers signing up for Jupiter Drones codec and AI-powered system]()
Maris-Tech confirms customers signing up for Jupiter Drones codec and AI-powered system
Launched at AUSA in October, the company’s multi-stream video codec is attempting to bring a new lease of life to drone technology through its AI accelerator.
-
![AUSA 2024: Quantum-Systems targets big 2025 with UAS developments]()
AUSA 2024: Quantum-Systems targets big 2025 with UAS developments
Quantum-Systems has been upgrading its UAS family, with new versions of the Vector, Reliant and Twister drones set for release throughout 2025.
