Piasecki Aircraft partners with Volz Servos for advanced rotorcraft autonomy

Piasecki Aircraft Corporation, a pioneer in vertical flight, today announced that it has entered into a key partnership with Volz Servos, a German manufacturer of high-reliability, redundant electromagnetic actuators. Volz will supply its advanced actuator systems for Piasecki’s Adaptive Digital Automated Pilotage Technology (ADAPT) program, supporting the next generation of autonomous rotorcraft.

Launched in 2016 in response to a Joint Aircraft Survivability Program Office (JASPO) study documenting high rotorcraft losses in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2001 to 2013, ADAPT is an advanced research initiative designed to reduce mishap rates through intelligent flight controls and autonomous capability. ADAPT’s core technologies — including Return-to-Base, Leader-Follower, and Safe Landing Area Determination (SLAD) — enable aircraft to continue flying after suffering significant damage or pilot incapacitation. The system automatically optimizes control allocation, lift, and thrust to improve survivability, reduce costs, and enhance maneuverability across a range of mission profiles.

Volz’s DA 30-HT-D-MCCS OPV actuators, designed for dual-channel redundancy and featuring an electromagnetic clutch for manual override, will control flight surfaces on Piasecki’s CoAX 2D demonstrator, an optionally-piloted EDM Aerotec helicopter platform integrated with ADAPT’s digital flight control system.

“Volz’s actuators provide the perfect mix of capability, reliability, and redundancy needed for our optionally piloted aircraft,” said Chris DiMarco, ADAPT Program Manager at Piasecki. “Their partnership has been instrumental in advancing the ADAPT program and enabling its next phase. Our work not only supports military applications but also lays the foundation for next-gen commercial rotorcraft.”

The ADAPT program has already demonstrated key capabilities in simulation, including Fly-to-Optimal maneuvering, Vehicle Maneuvering Optimization, and Damage-Tolerant Control. The CoAX 2D is slated for flight testing this year, followed by continued development of advanced autonomous features to further expand operational safety and flexibility.

“We are proud to support the ADAPT program with our advanced actuator technology,” said Phillipp Volz, CEO of Volz Servos. “This collaboration marks a major step forward in rotorcraft safety and performance, and we look forward to a long-term partnership with Piasecki.”