Cloud Cap Technology is pleased to announce a new partnership with Guided Systems Technologies to provide Piccolo autopilot solutions for helicopter and other rotary wing unmanned vehicles. Guided Systems Technologies, leveraging more than 18 years of experience in guidance and control, offers advanced flight control technology that has been proven on a wide variety of unmanned rotary wing vehicles, including single main rotor and coaxial helicopters, tilt rotors, ducted fans, tail sitters and hybrid vehicles such as the USAF/AeroVironment Skytote UAV.
Piccolo autopilot products are now capable of full-envelope automated helicopter flight operations, including take-off and landing, precision hover, automated path following and autopilot assisted manual steering modes. Additionally, Guided Systems will provide comprehensive customer support from initial project requirements definition through qualification flight testing.
Dr. Eric Corban, Guided System's Founder and CTO says, "The helicopter and rotary wing UAV market will benefit greatly from affordable access to a complete helicopter control solution proven over a number of flight test programs that is made relatively easy to integrate through the combination of advanced technology, integrated hardware, quality documentation, and support that is tailored to the needs of the rotorcraft community."
The Cloud Cap Technology family of Piccolo autopilots have become the standard for fixed wing UAV integrators. All of the Piccolo options provide a complete, off-the-shelf avionics system solution including the core autopilot, flight sensors, navigation, wireless communication, and payload interfaces, all in a small, highly-integrated, and inexpensive package.
Over 1,500 autopilots have been delivered to date. The Piccolo autopilot is currently in service on a wide range of vehicles including the ACR Silver Fox, the Raytheon Cobra and the NAVAIR Tiger Shark UAV. Detailed information and system documentation for the Piccolo autopilots can be found at
