Airbus successfully tested HMI, which operates the helicopter through a touchscreen tablet
Airbus has successfully tested a new, simplified human-machine interface (HMI) through the Vertex project, in addition to advanced autonomous features. These Airbus UpNext-developed technologies, which are operated by a touchscreen tablet, are intended to further enhance safety by streamlining mission planning and management and lessening the workload of helicopter pilots.
Michael Augello, CEO of Airbus UpNext, said, “This successful demonstration of a fully autonomous flight from takeoff to landing is a great step towards the reduced pilot workload and simplified HMI that the Airbus Urban Air Mobility team intends to implement on CityAirbus NextGen. It could also have immediate applications for helicopters in low level flights close to obstacles thanks to the information provided by the lidars* on board.”
For an hour during the test flight, the Airbus Helicopters FlightLab followed a pre-programmed route and operated entirely autonomously through the lift-off, taxi, takeoff, cruise, approach, and landing phases. The pilot kept an eye on the system, which can recognize unanticipated obstacles and automatically recalculate a safe flight path, during this flight.
The pilot can quickly override the controls via the tablet if needed, and then carry on with the mission. The flight test period at Airbus Helicopters’ Marignane, France, facility took place from October 27 to November 22.
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The various technologies that make up Vertex, vision-based sensors and algorithms for situational awareness and obstacle detection; fly-by-wire for improved auto-pilot; and an advanced human-machine interface (HMI) in the form of a touchscreen and head-worn display for inflight monitoring and control that will all continue to be developed by Airbus Helicopters.
