August 27, 2024
Airfield Manching, DE – August 26, 2024 – We are proud to announce the successful maiden flight of the Grille 9X-02, which took place on August 14th at the WTD61 testing facilities in Manching. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the development and testing of our second-generation aircraft, after months of continuous efforts by our dedicated team.
So far this year, AVILUS has worked diligently to bring the 9X-02 up in the air. Following extensive controlled hover tests in June and July, including the continuous recording of over 2,000 onboard signals, the 9X-02 was finally ready for its first free flight. The primary objectives of this test were to evaluate the controllability during manual flight and assess the performance under real-world conditions.
Our second-generation aircraft demonstrated improved handling qualities, stability, and overall flight characteristics. Notably, improvements in engine dynamics and an increased closed-loop bandwidth contributed to better overall control of the aircraft, increasing our precision and reducing control errors in ground effect.
Looking ahead, the AVILUS Flight Operations Team will continue with the flight tests of the 9X-02, deploying higher-level functions step by step in an incremental approach. This process increases the level of automation and ensures a fallback layer of tested low-level functionality. These proceedings are crucial as the 9X-02 is intended to participate in an operational experimentation with the German Armed Forces in October 2024.
In summary, the successful first flight of the 9X-02 represents a significant step forward for AVILUS. Having started its development in the summer of 2023, with manufacturing completed in early 2024 and camouflage painting finished in April this year, it is very gratifying for the team to witness the 9X-02 climbing the skies. This milestone proves the power of teamwork and the strength of a shared dream.
