The Navy's Fire Scout Vertical Takeoff and Landing Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (VTUAV) launched into its flight test program on May 19, at the NAVAIR Western Test Range Complex in Calif.

Fire Scout has been designed to provide situational awareness and precision targeting support for the Navy and Marine Corps, and to be a fully autonomous UAV requiring limited operator intervention. The system is under development by Northrop Grumman Corporation - Ryan Aeronautical (NGC-R) and is managed by the Navy's UAV program office, PMA-263.

As part of the first three test sequences, the Fire Scout demonstrated launch abort functionality, command override capability, and basic airframe integrity under autonomous operation. Data collection and command and control for the initial flights were performed out of the NGC-R Mobile Control Station.

Build up to first flight began Saturday, May 18, with a demonstration of the launch abort process. This command was successfully executed as the vehicle began to rise off the runway. Once safely at rest, the normal shutdown command was executed and the air vehicle was ready for the next test.

Before dawn on Sunday, May 19, the Fire Scout was ready to fly. Following successful engine start and flight power commands, the launch command was initiated. The flight consisted of an autonomous launch, a climb to 30 ft, followed by a transition to forward flight while continuing the climb. As planned, operators conducted an over-ride to the mission mid-flight, commanding the aircraft to stop, hover, and land. This event demonstrated a stable in-flight command override capability.

The final test was a demonstration of the fully autonomous guidance, navigation, and control system. This flight consisted of an autonomous launch, a climb to 30 ft, followed by a transition to forward flight, while continuing the climb. The flight route consisted of two waypoints, maintaining speed, altitude, and heading. The approach route, utilizing three waypoints, descended the air vehicle from 200 ft and 10 knots to 30 ft and 0 knots. After gaining a valid radar altimeter indication, the Fire Scout descended to touchdown and initiated its shutdown sequence once authorized. The air vehicle contended with 10 knot cross winds and managed to land within 8 inches of the surveyed recovery point. With a total distance traveled of 4,300 ft, the event successfully demonstrated the fully autonomous capability of the Fire Scout system.

The air vehicle, a derivative of the Schweizer Aircraft model 330 helicopter, is a prototype of the planned Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) system and contains the same Vehicle Management Computer, Kearfott navigator, AN/ARC-210 radios for control links, and other associated avionics.

Future operations are planned for the air vehicle this summer. The EMD test program is planned to begin first quarter fiscal year 2003.