Experiments with small unmanned helicopter nose-up landings

A study was conducted to perform investigations with small unmanned helicopter nose-up landings. The experimental setup used for performing helicopter landing investigations included the flight test article, the landing pad, and the instrumentation system. The first investigation involved an expert human pilot, who made an effort to land the helicopter on a pitched target. The flight was performed at night as required by the VICON system, challenging the pilot's ability to precisely locate the helicopter relative to the target. The first investigation was also conducted with a human pilot to demonstrate the validity of the 'Velcro' landing pad concept. The landing sequence was designed in such a way that the helicopter can recover in case of a missed landing. The investigations revealed the feasibility of the concept of landing a small and unmanned hover-capable vehicle on a near vertical surface.