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Bell unveils aircraft laboratory for future autonomy fly-by-wire operations

Bell Textron on May 7 revealed its Aircraft Laboratory for Future Autonomy under the acronym of ALFA. Developed by its Advanced Programs team, Bell explains ALFA is dedicated to performing flight maneuvers with an aircraft safety system and executing autonomous fly-by-wire flights.

The fly-by-wire integration was a critical step in future development of autonomous controls for Bell’s commercial aircraft, explains the company, an emerging technology that aims to reduce pilot workload and enhance safety.

“Fly-by-wire flight, coupled with additional capability that are being integrated into ALFA, provides a great foundation for Bell to expand on its autonomous capabilities,” said Jason Hurst, executive vice president, Engineering, Bell. “This aircraft will serve as a flying lab that will inform future autonomous technology development, which we can ultimately leverage to deliver the best rotorcraft solutions to global operators.”

ALFA’s aircraft safety system separates safety functions from flight control functions, explains Bell, allowing for rapid development and evaluation of novel flight control technology without compromising overall safety. The aircraft completed its first flight at Bell’s Commercial Assembly and Delivery Centre in Mirabel, Quebec, and is now being used for further exploration at Bell’s Flight Research Center in Fort Worth, Texas.