Enter the Flight Deck
Where pilots and engineers will fly Quarterhorse.
October 12, 2022
One of the most important features of Quarterhorse is that it’s unpiloted. This allows us to push more risk into the test program. Imagine if there was someone onboard. The stakes would be exponentially higher.
However, “unpiloted” may not be the best word because we do have pilots and they will be flying the vehicle – just not in the air but from the ground in… the Flight Deck.
WHAT MAKES THIS SHIPPING CONTAINER SPECIAL?
The Flight Deck has been designed from the ground up to support off-grid stand-alone operations in austere environments.
It supports a pilot, payload operator, four operational analysts, and multiple jump-seats for observers.
The dedicated high-performance computing center, HPCC, has an isolated climate control zone to insure all flight-critical equipment is protected. This HPCC delivers a dual-redundant cloud-based computing and power architecture that meets the current DoD RPA CONOPS and leverages cutting-edge rapid prototyping and AI/ML technologies.
It’s also built to DoD secure-room standards allowing for turn-key open-storage, video conferencing, and operations.
The fact that all equipment fits within an unmarked intermodal container footprint allows for discreet rapid world-wide deployment.
For starters, it will be spending a lot of time in the California desert where we’ll fly Quarterhorse for the very first time next year.
Up next
What we’re sharing today is merely a sneak peek. We’re continuing to refine the flight software, install the communication dishes, and add the finishing touches to the interior.
More to come…
ABOUT HERMEUS
Hermeus is a high-speed aircraft manufacturer focused on the rapid design, build, and test of high-Mach and hypersonic aircraft for the national interest. Working directly with the Department of Defense, Hermeus delivers capabilities that will ensure that our nation, and our allies, maintain an asymmetric advantage over any and all potential adversaries.
Contact us at press@hermeus.com or follow us online.
Find additional photos on Unsplash.
Find 4K footage for download on Vimeo.