darpa helicopters

Defense Advanced Projects Agency (DARPA) of the US Department of Defense has created robotic landing gear to enable future helicopters to take-off and land almost anywhere.

The system has been developed in collaboration with the Georgia Institute of Technology, using funding from DARPA’s Mission Adaptive Rotor (MAR) programme.

Helicopters require stable and flat surfaces during landing and take-off due to their skid and wheel-based landing gear; however, such surfaces are often hard to find in regions requiring their services suc has forward operating areas, ships at violent sea areas and natural-disaster zones.

The new robotic landing gear will help helicopters to land and take-off from sloping, uneven and moving surfaces, mainly in military and national security missions.

"The demonstration showed reduced risk of damage during hard landings, steady landings and take-off on sloping terrain of up to 20°."

DARPA programme manager Ashish Bagai said: "The equipment, mounted on an otherwise unmodified, unmanned helicopter, successfully demonstrated the ability to land and take-off from terrain that would be impossible to operate from with standard landing gear."

DARPA conducted an experimental demonstration of a novel robotic landing gear system near Atlanta.

The demonstration showed reduced risk of damage during hard landings, steady landings and take-off on sloping terrain of up to 20°.

In the adaptive system, four articulated jointed legs have replaced standard equipments.

These legs have the capability to fold-up next to the helicopter’s fuselage during flight, and have force-sensitive contact sensors installed on their feet.

During landing, each leg extends and, with the help of the sensors, determines the appropriate landing angle in real-time.

The technology also helps helicopters to stay level and minimise any risk of its rotor touching the landing area.


Image: DARPA develops helicopter with robotic legs that can land anywhere. Photo: courtsey of DARPA.