ASCENT PLATFORMS IN CONTEXT
The value of UAV integration is clearest when paired with specific missions. Ascent AeroSystems’ portfolio — now fully under the Robinson umbrella — is designed to enable a full spectrum of integrated crewed/uncrewed rotary-wing needs.
Spirit: The workhorse. Compact enough to fit in a backpack, yet powerful enough to carry mission-critical payloads farther, faster and longer than comparable systems. Spirit is all-weather, rugged and modular, making it indispensable for missions ranging from inspection, mapping and surveying to ISR and search and rescue. Its modular open systems architecture means payloads can be swapped in seconds, allowing the same airframe to tackle entirely different missions at a moment’s notice.
Spartan (the next-generation NX30): Built for maximum endurance and payload capability in the smallest possible footprint. Perfect for heavier sensors, extended ISR, or light logistics, Spartan can carry up to 15 pounds of payload and fly for more than 65 minutes. It is a first step in bridging the gap between small UAVs and full-sized helicopters, giving operators unmatched mission flexibility.
Across both platforms, the story is the same, according to Fermo. “Mission requirements change. And technology is evolving at what feels like a breakneck pace. But new missions and new tech doesn’t have to mean new drones. Our platforms are purpose designed to keep pace with ever-changing mission requirements. Operators aren’t locked into a dead-end product — they’re investing in a system that grows over time.”
That’s how Ascent platforms mitigate the risk of obsolescence that plagues so many legacy UAV systems.
The newest addition to the Ascent family — Helius — is a sub-250 gram UAV that packs big capabilities into a tiny footprint. Built on the same core design principle as Spirit and Spartan, two counter-rotating blades center mounted on a sleek cylindrical core, Helius is fully integrated, deployable in seconds and ready for BVLOS operations. It’s an ideal system
for law enforcement officers, public safety operators, and dismounted military forces who need discreet situational awareness without adding pilot load.
THE BUSINESS CASE
For operators facing rising demand, tighter economics, and limited pilot availability, UAV integration creates opportunity, not competition. UAVs take on missions that helicopters are too large, too expensive, or too resource intensive to justify. The result: more missions flown, more customer needs met, and more total revenue across the business.
Think of aerial inspection. A Spirit UAV can perform an initial survey of power lines or pipelines at a fraction of the cost of sending a helicopter. But when a defect is identified, the helicopter becomes the indispensable follow-up tool — moving crews, equipment, or providing close-in access. Both aircraft play their role, and both generate revenue.
For customers, the value proposition is clear: a provider who offers “all-in- one” aerial solutions, from uncrewed reconnaissance to crewed lift, is the partner of choice. For operators, it’s a pathway to future-proof their business while making better use of their most constrained resource: pilots.
As Fermo emphasizes, “Helicopters are the foundation and the backbone of vertical aviation. Integrating UAVs into VTOL product portfolios isn’t about unseating that
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legacy. It’s about expanding capabilities, creating new opportunities, accessing new markets, and providing more value.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Helicopters and drones, working together, will redefine what vertical aviation can achieve — multiplying force, capability, and profitability across every mission set.
“The future of vertical aviation won’t be about choosing between crewed and uncrewed systems,” Fermo concludes. “It will be about bringing them together — seamlessly, reliably, and profitably.”
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