Leonardo “Only European Company Able to Provide a Complete Unmanned System”
Leonardo announced on 16 December that its SW-4 SOLO remotely piloted helicopter has begun a comprehensive test campaign in order to verify the aircraft’s operational characteristics and validate flight procedures in both routine and emergency situations.
The flight campaign, carried out in collaboration with the DTA and Ente Nazionale Aviazione Civile (ENAC, the Italian Civil Aviation Authority), will continue during the first few months of 2017.
The SOLO is derived from the SW-4 helicopter produced by Leonardo in Poland and is equipped with advanced systems and sensors, also made by the company in Italy and the UK, and designed to operate with or without a pilot on board. The aircraft, recently returned from a successful demonstration campaign in the UK, is an innovative solution for activities such as hydrological and critical infrastructure monitoring, firefighting, search and rescue, patrol, and disaster relief activities.
Mauro Moretti, CEO and General Manager of Leonardo, said: “The SW-4 SOLO is testimony of Leonardo’s industrial commitment and innovation in unmanned aircraft, a sector of increased global competition and is part of a portfolio of solutions making Leonardo the only European company able to provide a complete ‘unmanned’ system.”
