California-based startup Skyryse has achieved a historic milestone in aviation safety by completing the world's first fully automated autorotation emergency landing procedure., the company announced.
This breakthrough feature will become a standard safety measure on all Skyryse-equipped airplanes and helicopters, significantly advancing general aviation safety.
Groundbreaking safety features to debut in 2024
Skyryse, founded in 2016, focuses on aviation software and safety technology. The company's proprietary technology, a highly automated flight control system, boasts dozens of first-of-its-kind safety features. These innovations include a simplified control system and the world's first fully automated autorotation, a maneuver crucial for helicopter pilots facing engine failure.
According to Mark Groden, founder and CEO of Skyryse, "Fully automated autorotation is just one example of how our technology will bring a commercial grade of safety and beyond to general aviation." With over 400 lives lost annually in general aviation accidents in the United States alone, Skyryse's commitment to enhancing safety is a pivotal step for the industry.
The complexity of autorotation made simple
Landing a helicopter without power, a maneuver known as autorotation is an intricate and challenging process due to the complex interplay of various aerodynamic forces that must be carefully managed in a concise timeframe. When the engine fails, the helicopter's main rotor loses power, and the pilot must rapidly execute a series of manual controls to convert the aircraft's stored energy into a controlled descent. The immediate and counterintuitive dropping of the collective control reduces drag on the rotor while simultaneously adjusting the cyclic control seeks to find an airspeed that allows for maximum lift. Additionally, the pilot must manage the anti-torque pedals to counteract the natural tendency of the helicopter to spin. With a critical window of only a few seconds, the pilot must assess the situation, select a suitable landing spot, and execute flawless maneuvers to ensure a safe descent. The precise coordination required in autorotation makes it a daunting task, demanding exceptional skill and precise coordination of multiple controls within seconds.
Skyryse's technology, featuring a reimagined Human Machine Interface (HMI), streamlines this process, making it accessible even in the most challenging scenarios.
The system utilizes proprietary redundant flight controls and sensors to detect power failure promptly. Once triggered, it autonomously executes a series of maneuvers—from pitch adjustment to nose alignment, stability management, flare completion, to a graceful landing—all at the push of a button.
Setting records for safety
Skyryse successfully demonstrated the fully automated autorotation at their Flight Test and Performance Facility in Los Angeles on July 22, 2023. This accomplishment was officially recognized by Guinness World Records, certifying it as a rotorcraft's first automated autorotation landing by a rotorcraft.
This groundbreaking technology aims to mitigate the risks associated with engine failure, a scenario that demands swift and precise action from the pilot. In the traditional manual autorotation, pilots have less than two seconds to perform intricate control movements to execute a successful landing. Skyryse's system, however, not only detects the power failure instantaneously but also conducts the autorotation with unparalleled efficiency, maintaining a higher main rotor RPM to provide pilots with more stored energy to work with.
"Skyryse's achievement opens a new chapter in aviation safety, proving that technology can be a game-changer in preventing accidents. The upcoming reveal of the first production helicopter with Skyryse technology in Q1 2024 is highly anticipated, showcasing a leap forward in safety standards for the industry."
Originally published on Interesting Engineering : Original article