Rotorcraft
Lockheed's PDAS Sensor Suite Flown Aboard Bell V-280
The Lockheed Martin PDAS sensor system has been successfully flown in the Bell V-280
Bell's V-280 Valor tiltrotor is a contender for the U.S. Army's FVL project.
Bell's V-280 Valor tiltrotor is a contender for the U.S. Army's FVL project.

Lockheed Martin's Pilotage Distributed Aperture Sensor (PDAS) system was flown aboard the Bell V-280 third-generation tiltrotor for the first time last month. PDAS consists of six infrared sensors distributed around the aircraft linked to aircrew helmets and cockpit displays via an open-architecture processor. It generates high-resolution, real-time, 360-degree imagery around the aircraft to enhance situational awareness for pilots and other users. The system is currently deployed onboard Lockheed Martin’s F-35 strike fighter, but the company stressed the variant of the system testing on the V-280 was developed specifically for the needs of future vertical lift (FVL) aircraft.