Further major orders for AutoGyro
Gyroplane fleets ensure security from the air
At the start of this year AutoGyro GmbH won two major contracts for professional gyroplanes. A total of 18 „Sentinels“, most camera-equipped, were ordered by international police forces and law enforcement agencies to perform aerial surveillance tasks. Following the successful initial deployment in 2023, the Turkish Jandarma Havacilik has decided to expand its fleet by six more specialised Rotax 916 iS powered Cavalon Sentinels. In addition, another key authority has ordered seven Cavalon 916 iS Sentinels as well as five Calidus 916 iS Sentinels accompanied by a package for flight crew training and the associated infrastructure.
Effective performing of aerial monitoring tasks – Why Turkish Jandarma relies on AutoGyro gyroplanes
As a camera-carrying platform for day and night aerial surveillance, the AutoGyro Cavalon Sentinel has successfully proven to be highly cost-effective, practical and sustainable for tasks such as traffic monitoring, aerial search and border patrol.
The Director of Gendarmerie Aviation at Jandarma Havacilik Turkey, Major General Ali DOĞAN, explains what was decisive for the initial choice of gyroplanes: „We needed a cost-effective aerial vehicle capable of performing helicopter tasks and transmitting images from the air (…) because flight and maintenance costs of our helicopters are quite high.” After extensive testing and successful deployment in 2023, the gyroplanes proved to be the right solution for their tasks. New mission cases have been added and the gyro fleet is now being expanded.The new six Cavalon Sentinels will be delivered in summer 2024.
Milestone for the professional use of gyroplanes
Gerald Speich, CEO of AutoGyro, explains the significance of both the major order to the new customer and the follow-up order to the Turkish Jandarma: „These multi-million euro orders are not only an important milestone for AutoGyro as a company, but also strengthen our footprint within the global professional market. Gyroplanes have become an attractive addition or alternative vehicle in many areas of aerial surveillance. Airborne security is being rethought in many countries – not only in terms of cost-effectiveness, but also from an environmental perspective, arenas that our aircraft excel in.“
Aleksandra Witkowska, Co-CEO, commented „These professional market successes that have led to these new orders are the result of exceptional teamwork and also of AutoGyro’s standing as the only manufacturer in the gyroplane sector to comply with all major national safety and airworthiness regulations. These new orders have enabled us to look forward to the future with huge confidence”.
The AutoGyro Sentinel model as platform for aerial surveillance
The professionally used Sentinel models are characterized not only by easy and cost-effective operation and maintenance, but also by maximised safety, cabin comfort and sustainability. With operating costs of less than 200 EUR per hour and a low consumption of only 25 litres super unleaded fuel per hour (57,5 kg CO2/h emissions), a gyroplane can carry out many tasks of other aerial vehicles whilst achieving the same or better levels of task accomplishment at vastly reduced costs. Thanks to a flight duration of up to four hours at a maximum speed up to 225 km/h, the gyroplanes can reach the operational areas fast, and can remain there on task for a considerable time at very slow speeds, enabling excellent observation results. The Sentinel can carry a range of task specific equipment, including special customer-defined equipment such as an integrated 4K and/or Infrared camera with a live downlink to ground personnel. Equipped with a UK Civil Aviation authority approved autopilot and customized avionics the AutoGyro Sentinel has the capability to operate even in IFR conditions. This equipment also reduces pilot fatigue workload in normal flight conditions.
AutoGyro made-in-Germany gyroplanes have many applications such as monitoring of pipelines, energy distribution networks, borders or traffic infrastructure, coasts, wildlife, disaster relief, and aerial mapping.
The leading gyroplane manufacturer AutoGyro will supply 18 professional use Sentinels for various surveillance missions – such as traffic monitoring for the Turkish Jandarma.