The Sanco firefighting helicopter will receive a new aerial surveillance system called “Flex.”
The company said it plans to introduce the system to other firefighting aircraft and to its aircraft fleet as part of a pilot training program.
“We are making progress on Flex, but we have not completed the final design, so we can’t share any details at this time,” the company said in a statement.
The new system, which will be tested in Sanco’s helicopter fleet in January, will be used to track the aircraft’s position over time and to determine its position relative to the ground.
It will also track the helicopter’s speed, altitude and orientation.
The company is developing the system as a service to the US military.
Sanco said it expects to begin testing Flex in 2017.
Sanca’s Flex will be deployed to its firefighting helicopters in California, Florida and South Florida.
SanCo will use the Flex to track helicopters at night.
The SanCo Flex will also be used by firefighters in other parts of the country, such as the New York City and New Jersey areas.
The aircraft, which has a wingspan of roughly 2.5 meters, has a crew of six.
It has a range of about 5 kilometers and a speed of around 20 kilometers per hour.
The Flex is expected to be available to the company’s fleet by 2020.
Posted by Tim McAleer at 3:30 PM