Steadicopter Reveals First Unmanned Hybrid Helicopter

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby

Rotary Unmanned Aerial Systems (RUAS) industry leader Steadicopter has revealed the newest model in its RUAV family, the Black Eagle 50H. This first of its kind hybrid-powered unmanned helicopter is designed for a wide range of law enforcement, maritime, civilian and covert missions.

The Black Eagle 50H is able to carry a maximum weight of 50 kg, enabling it to transport multiple large payloads at a time, and is capable of maintaining flight for up to five hours – longer than many other VTOL platforms in its class. The helicopter’s combined strength and endurance allows for high performance and maximum operational flexibility for both security forces and civilian applications, such as search & rescue, cyber, intelligence, offshore rigs, and high-end naval missions.

The Black Eagle 50H features a hybrid engine and propulsion system that combines the best of the electric 50E and the gas-powered 50 variants in a platform that is affordable, intuitive, easy to maintain, eco-friendly, and safe. The model builds upon the existing capabilities of the highly energy-efficient gasoline-powered Black Eagle 50, including vertical take-off and landing, long hover durations, and leading mission sensor suites for all mission scenarios, whether day or night. Additionally, like the Black Eagle 50E model, the Black Eagle 50H provides excellent reliability and is extremely adaptive to high-altitude flights, owing to the electric propulsion segment which is less affected by the ambient air pressure, making it deployable in many high-altitude operational scenarios.

In order to increase its mission versatility, the hybrid platform also offers operators the choice to select power by generator while enroute, alternating to the quieter direct battery power during the mission itself, allowing for maximum covertness.

“The Black Eagle 50H is a true multi-domain, multi-mission and multi-sensor system, coupled with all the benefits of a covert, easy-to-maintain, highly-versatile electric-powered system,” said Noam Lidor, Steadicopter’s Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Business Development. “Its ability to carry advanced payloads and its capability for extended time in the air ensure both mission success and flexibility.”

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Ian attended Dominican University of California, where he received a BA in English in 2019. With a lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and a keen interest in technology, he is now contributing to DroneLife as a staff writer.