Summit Aviation has delivered the first protective cage for the avionics components on Northrop Grumman’s MQ-8C unmanned helicopter.
(The Faraday Cage)
Northrop Grumman said the protective enclosure known as a Faraday cage will store and shield the MQ-8C’s critical electrical components from lightning damage and other possible electromagnetic interference.
“Adding the Faraday cage to Fire Scout will provide the Navy with improved accessibility and maintainability by centrally locating key critical avionics components and protect them from outside electrical interference,” said George Vardoulakis, vice president for tactical unmanned systems at Northrop Grumman.
(Northrop Grumman’s Fire-X Test Bed, a Modified Bell 407)
Northrop Grumman is using modified Bell 407 air vehicles to build 28 new MQ-8C Fire Scouts for the U.S. Navy’s Fire Scout program, and plans to roll out the upgraded Fire Scout later this year with a first flight near the end of the third quarter.
Related: Unmanned Systems News
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