Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) today announced it has acquired the portfolio of assets and intellectual property related to the Voly-50 and Voly-T series of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) produced previously by Volansi. The move reaffirms SNC’s commitment to delivering a next-generation, multi-role, long-haul, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) platform to customers across the DOD and establishing SNC as a leading solution provider in the UAV space. With the close of the deal, SNC also acquired Volansi’s production facility in Bend, Oregon and retained key personnel. The Voly-50 and Voly-T series of infrastructure-independent aerial drones can take off and land vertically, leveraging the sky for unlimited possibilities and endless connections. Combining the Voly technology with SNC’s exceptional open architecture systems, sensor integrations, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities results in a rapidly deployable unmanned ISR VTOL solution for multi-domain operations.
Utilizing the Voly-50 series design as the foundation, SNC’s VTOL offering has a small operational footprint and can easily operate in difficult terrain and contested spaces for tactical resupply missions. It is built for endurance, with the ability to handle heavy payloads, while a turnkey ISR system gives users the ability to see, track and understand the battlespace more completely. SNC also leverages the extensive expertise of its subsidiary, Kutta Technologies Inc., in its VTOL offering. Kutta – a respected leader in safety-critical unmanned systems software – contributes to the redundancy and durability required to complete even the toughest DOD missions by ensuring DO-178 compliance and adherence to interoperability standards.
“SNC wanted to keep the dream alive by bringing to fruition the ability to support both ISR and humanitarian aid missions, reaching locations that were once unreachable to deliver survival kits, blankets, food, and water. The Volansi systems are unique because they offer the military a new generation of flexible UAVs that provide long-haul aircraft with superior flight range, flexible payload capacity and the ability to fly beyond visual line of sight,” said Josh Walsh, vice president of programs for SNC’s MST business area.
“SNC is committed to delivering a future unmanned system with the payload, range and endurance that our military needs. Adding the Volansi capabilities to the existing SNC portfolio was a perfect fit. Our complementary technologies will create a world where mission-tailored VTOL drones make it possible to support any industry, to deliver anything, anywhere, anytime,” said Tim Owings executive vice president of SNC’s Mission Solutions and Technologies (MST) business area.
For many years, SNC has invested heavily in internal research and development of emerging technologies, shifting its product development approach to smaller SWAP, open architecture systems and platform-agnostic solutions that allow for faster modification and integration based on customer mission needs. SNC has a proven, 60-year heritage of creating complex technology solutions, including more than 30 years of experience in developing, integrating and engineering unmanned systems to reduce warfighter casualties in combat ISR scenarios. As a leader in unmanned systems, SNC has made significant strides in emerging technologies including artificial intelligence and electronic warfare.
