Silent Arrow® Conducts First Overseas Operations in Middle East
Two GD-2000 autonomous cargo gliders successfully deliver 465kg of payload ending with “zero sink rate” auto-flare.
LOS ANGELES, January 31, 2022 — Under the terms of a $1.5 million contract to evaluate their operational capability in the field, the Silent Arrow self-guided cargo-carrying gliders have achieved their first real-world mission objectives. The GD-2000s delivered a total of 465kg (1025lb) of payload over a distance within the glider’s 65km (40mi) stand-off capability after the two gliders were rolled out of the rear cargo doors of two C-130 Hercules delivery aircraft flying at an undisclosed altitude. The mission was conducted in conjunction with an allied government in the Middle East over a desert landscape.
Once out on their own, the GD-2000 gliders flew completely autonomously including waypoint selection and navigation. During the autonomous sequence at a pre-designated landing zone, the GD-2000s were able to achieve a near “zero-sink rate flare”.
THE GD-2000 glider has a certified maximum gross weight of 907kg (2000lb) and a payload storage capacity of 736L (26 ft²). The recent Middle East flights were at take-off (ie. drop) weight of 689kg (1520lb), meaning future flights could carry as much as 218kg (481lb) of additional cargo per aircraft. Originally designed to replace GPS-steered parachutes (JPADS) under contract from the U.S. Marine Corps, Silent Arrow cargo gliders have been supplied or won contracts directly with all four US military service branches.
“As we prepare for mass production, it’s encouraging to see foreign allied governments as enthusiastic about the new capabilities of Silent Arrow,” said Chip Yates, Silent Arrow’s founder and CEO. “We have distribution agreements in place for 37 countries so far and are working hard to become the worldwide standard for airdrop logistics.”
This is a story the New RC Soaring Digest has been following since our February 2021 issue, with our interest based on our belief it is a unique project in that it uses, on a commercial basis, glider technology which will be quite familiar to our readers.
“We are really excited by the enthusiasm RCSD has expressed for the Silent Arrow project over the past year,” said Yates, in a follow up, exclusive interview with the New RC Soaring Digest. “Given our pending plan to move from LRIP [low rate initial production] to FRP [full rate production] of thousands of GD-2000 units in 2023, the future is very bright for those with the skills common amongst RCSD readers. Given the aircraft’s unique capabilities, I visualise autonomous cargo gliders being in common use for a wide-variety of both military and humanitarian roles. Of course, we believe Silent Arrow will be at the centre of these developments,” Yates added, smiling.
The New RC Soaring Digest will keep reporting the evolving story of this compelling project as it continues to move to full commercialization.
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