Left to right, Lt.Gen.bd Dick Starink (NAG), Roland Haarbrink (Geocopter) and Michel Peters (NLR)
PARIS AIR SHOW, June 22nd, 2011
The Dutch Unmanned Rotorcraft System manufacturer GEOCOPTER from the Netherlands officially delivered its first Light Unmanned Rotorcraft System, designated GC-201, to its launching customer and development partner: the National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR).
The GC-201 is a versatile unmanned system, designed and built like a normal helicopter. It has received official approval from the Dutch CAA for small UAS operations. The main system features are: twin gas turbine engine propulsion system, a very light weight innovative carbon fibre fuselage and full automatic take-off, mission and landing capability.
Today, CEO of GEOCOPTER, Mr. Roland Haarbrink, has symbolically handed over the title of ownership to the CEO of NLR, Mr. Michel Peters.
Michel Peters, CEO of NLR: ‘This is another successful result of our mission as NLR to support the national industry and innovate for and with Dutch companies, either big or small, like GEOCOPTER. If you have an innovative idea and we believe in it, we can bring the idea to success together. My special thanks to the Netherlands Ministry of Defence who partially supported this innovative program. We wish GEOCOPTER a fruitful success with the GC-201 and will continue our efforts to support the evolution of the system.Â
Roland Haarbrink, CEO of GEOCOPTER: ‘We are proud having delivered the approved GC-201 to our launching customer NLR. We are looking forward to continuing our collaboration with the NLR, and are dedicated to serve our customers with this beautiful product.Â
NLR will use the GC-201 as part of the Facility for Unmanned Rotorcraft Research (FURORE). The NLR GC-201 is therefore provided with additional equipment for conducting research. FURORE has been developed for supporting the unmanned aviation stakeholders. Important research topics are airworthiness qualification, operational deployment and integration into the airspace.
GEOCOPTER is a Dutch company producing, selling and maintaining complete unmanned rotorcraft systems. The systems are delivered with pilot station, training and integrated sensors. They are located in Venlo, the Netherlands.
NLR, the organization for applied Aerospace Research & Development in the Netherlands, is a not-for-profit impartial research enterprise, founded in 1919. NLR has a long track record and experience in aeronautical research & development and supports primarily the Dutch aerospace industry and government with innovative solutions in all aspects from aircraft design, manufacturing, usage and air traffic management. NLR supports most aircraft manufacturers around the world and has the ambition to further expand their global partnerships.
