UAV opportunities for rotorcraft businesses

The ever expanding role of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) across a spectrum of operations raises crucially important questions for the rotorcraft sector. There might be situations where it is safer or more practical to deploy an unmanned platform, but how far can this go?

 What are the areas where the two sectors can work together to deliver greater effectiveness and what opportunities do these present for the rotorcraft industry? The Helitech International Business and Strategy Conference is taking a comprehensive look at these and other key issues arising from the rotorcraft / UAV interface in Focus On Unmanned Aerial Vehicles - an Opportunity for Rotorcraft Businesses, moderated by Peter Norton, Chief Executive, British Helicopter Association. The Focus On, a new component of the Business and Strategy Conference, comprises a series of sessions to be staged at ExCeL London on Tuesday afternoon, 6 October.

Throughout, the core theme is how rotorcraft businesses can capitalise on their existing expertise to transform a competitor into new opportunities for growing their enterprises. The opening session looks at the synergies between commercial UAVs and helicopters. Presented by Alix Leboulanger, Research Analyst, Aerospace & Defence, Frost & Sullivan, it features an overview of the market outlook for UAVs, examining their projected impact on commercial helicopters, opportunities arising for commercial helicopter operators and business ventures involving both types of platform. 'Heavier' fields of application, such as optionally piloted helicopters, will also be discussed. The UAV sector is developing rapidly and in diverse ways around the world.

Benjamin Benharrosh of UAV manufacturer Delair-Tech will describe his company's experiences of its global operations, comparing those in Europe with Africa, Asia and South America, and giving specific examples of UAV applications in overseas markets.