Australian eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft designer and manufacturer AMSL Aero has welcomed the government’s move to back the development of its Vertaiia aircraft to fight bushfires autonomously.
An A$3 million ($2 million) grant from the Cooperative Research Centres’ Projects will help develop a remotely piloted version of the Vertaiia. ASML Aero will work with its partners to develop an autonomous piloting system, modify a prototype aircraft for firefighting missions and then test it in regional Australia.
AMSL’ Aero’s project partners include the University of Sydney, robotics compony Mission Systems and Australian firefighting aviation operator Pay’s Air Service.
“We will develop a version of Vertaiia that enables rural fire service crews to prevent and put out fires remotely, using swarms of autonomous aircraft, like a high-tech flying bucket brigade that can operate day and night,” explained AMSL Aero CEO Max York. “Because Vertiia is long range and zero emissions, it gives us the ability to stay on task longer and means we are not contributing to the climate change problems that are leading to more fires”.
Although the aircraft is not intended to replace what manned missions can achieve (predominately because of the size of load carried), the Vertaiia will be able to continue efforts while conventional craft are reloading, and also manage to get closer to the fire itself in challenging conditions. “The biggest advantage will be the ability to continue to fight fires at night time and assist ground crews throughout the night,” concluded Ross Pay, managing director of Pays Air Service.
AMSL Aero welcomes $2 million government funding
