Bell unveils concept helicopter that is beyond imagination; Paves way for fully autonomous unpiloted VTOL aircraft

Bell Helicopters has unveiled concept aircraft FCX-101 at Heli-Expo 2017 in Dallas, Texas. The aircraft is made of sustainable materials and innovative features that lay a roadmap for safer smarter and more efficient rotorcraft solutions. It was the result of collaborative efforts of a group of engineers and graphic designers that bell helicopters formed a core group that made concept helicopter FCX-001 a reality.

The rotorcraft concept contains airframe made of sustainable materials, a hybrid power system, Artificial intelligence co-pilot and rotor blades that change according to the different flight conditions. The rotorcraft is packed with innovations both from inside and out.

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 Features of concept aircraft FCX-101 

-Rear end has no tail rotor and anti-torque control is provided by a series of electrically driven fans located on tail boom

-Morphing rotor blades provide lifting power and change shape depending on different flight conditions for better performance

-Customizable airframe designed to improve visibility and situational awareness made up of sustainable materials.

-The airframe harvests, stores and distributes external energy to flight systems

-Artificial intelligence computer in place of  Co-pilot and hence replaces the traditional multifunctional displays, an important step towards fully autonomous unpiloted VTOL aircraft.

-Modular flooring in passenger cabin allows to fold seats and make more space for cargo 

-Customizable overhead LED lightings and can adjust brightness and color

-Augmented reality facilitates passengers to carry video conferences and share documents.

"Being a pioneer in the aircraft industry is in our DNA and we want to share this renewed passion with the world," says Snyder. "The FCX-001 points the way for our future – a renewed focus on innovative solutions and technologies. When the time is right we look forward to sharing more of what we're doing behind closed doors."

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