In a recent Aviation International News:Kaman and Lockheed Martin continue to expand the missions being flown by the unmanned K-Max helicopter at the Army’s Yuma, Ariz. Proving Ground. The helicopter recently made multiple guided air-drops at 10,000 feet msl. The 16 payloads air-dropped included medical equipment, food, simulated leaflets and bulk cargo and were programmed by the GPS-guided Joint Precision Delivery System (JPADS) or triggered from a remote ground control station. The drops included payloads up to 4,400 pounds and JPADS from a sling load, a HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) parachute system to deliver simulated leaflets and a non-line-of-sight ability to dynamically re-task sling load JPADS ground target points. The final flight test consisted of four 64-foot-diameter parachutes with A22 containers, air-dropped in two- to three-second intervals at 60 knots airspeed from an altitude of 2,000 feet agl. The 1,100-pound containers landed on target. The unmanned K-Max has been flying since 2007. The manned K-Max has accumulated more than 250,000 flight hours, conducting repetitive lift operations for the construction and logging industries worldwide.
Amazing stuff!
We worked with the Army almost 20 years ago, doing similar testing, also out of Yuma P.G. We dropped heavy pallets, in the same HALO pattern, each of which was outfitted with transponders. Special Forces jumpers jumped alongside, "steering" the pallets as they descended.
Our 500-pound containers did NOT land on target, unlike the ones noted above. Nice to see progress...