America’s biggest non-military helicopter manufacturer, Robinson Helicopter Company, has acquired Ascent AeroSystems, a company that designs and manufactures rugged “coaxial” drones for the industrial, public safety, and defense markets. Through this acquisition, Ascent can now build its drones at Robinson’s cost-effective, vertically integrated manufacturing unit in California.
Massachusetts-based Ascent AeroSystems was the first Blue sUAS original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to be fully Remote ID compliant. However, to scale, it was looking for a partner with more experience in the design and manufacturing process as well as global support of aircraft systems.
As Ascent AeroSystems’ CEO Peter Fuchs explains:
“Drones based on consumer-grade electronics will never be able to provide the safety and dispatch reliability needed to support operations at scale. They will ultimately require a type certificate for the aircraft, a production certificate for the factory, an operating certificate for the network, and a maintenance certificate for the repair station. That is the standard that has provided the foundation for civil aviation for the last eight decades. It’s a rigorous process, and there are no shortcuts. The laws of physics and aerodynamics favor coaxials, and with Robinson’s 50 years of experience, there is now no better domestic source for reliable, mission-critical drone platforms.”
Robinson has delivered nearly 14,000 helicopters over five decades to thousands of customers who provide mission-critical services around the world. Company president and CEO David Smith says, “This strategic acquisition is in line with our vision to broaden our offerings and meet increasing global demand for enhanced mission capabilities in law enforcement, public safety, firefighting, utility, and defense. Ascent’s advanced technologies and versatile designs complement our ability to be the preeminent choice in global rotorcraft.”
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