Sustainability and Environment
Airbus Seeks Greener Helos from PioneerLab Research
Modified H145 helicopter will feature hybrid propulsion and autonomous systems
Airbus's PioneerLab helicopter technology testbed based on an H145 model.
Airbus has based its PioneerLab testbed aircraft on an H145 twin-engined helicopter. (Image: Airbus Helicopters)

Airbus has unveiled its PioneerLab twin-engine helicopter technology demonstrator at the German National Aviation Conference in Hamburg. The testbed aircraft is tasked with evaluating technologies specifically dedicated to twin-engine helicopters.

Based on the Airbus Helicopters H145, the company said the helicopter’s flight-test campaign is already underway in Donauwörth, flying with a rotor strike alerting system on board the aircraft and pending testing of an automated takeoff and landing system.