Boeing’s A160T “Hummingbird” robotic helicopter looks like it’s almost ready for prime time, as the company tested its military vehicle in a series of mock resupply tests. The ‘bird performed a variety of maneuvers over seven test flights, including hovering at 12,000 feet with a load of 1,250 pounds carried by a sling.
From CNET:
Two of those flights were round trips spanning 150 nautical miles, with the Hummingbird toting 1,250-pound sling loads in a simulated mission between forward operating bases. The aircraft completed the mission in less than the required 6 hours and, being a robo-copter and all, did so while operating autonomously (though preprogrammed-ly.) Autonomous deliveries by the A160T, Boeing said without offering specifics, were “extremely accurate.”
While the A160T is perfect for recon and surveillance, it’s ability to lug around heavy equipment is an invaluable service, as it’d be able to ferry supplies between bases and resupply troops in the field with a lot less danger than a ground-based vehicle.
Last month we wrote an article about Google and how they have purchased a Boeing 767. Now reports are out that they are apparently adding another large private jet to their fleet: a Boeing 757.
Like the 767 and two other jets they are operated by a company controlled by Google’s founders and have landing rights at Moffett Field, a NASA operated airfield.
The information that a Boeing 757 owned by Google’s founders was based in a request filed by The Times under the Freedom of Information Act and on the 37th page there was four planes listed: two Gulfstream Vs, the Boeing 767 and the Boeing 757. A footnote was added to say that the 757 was not expected to start flying out of Moffett Field until November.
I admire the boys at Google for controlling their development so well at present and this is a very nice addition to the Google Team. Up until today I was unaware that Google even had their own plane and now it turns out that they are trying to do a deal with NASA.
Air Google would like to lease hangar space at the Moffett Field near Mountain View. Valleywag first confirmed that the Boeing 767 owned by Google’s co-founders has used the NASA airport. The field is normally closed to private aircraft, but this suggests that NASA has awarded Larry Page and Sergey Brin partial landing rights. I just have to sit back and wonder what is next for the jug-o-naught. Will they buy their own Space Shuttle?
