Headline: UNCAPTIONED: UK's first ever helicopter drone takes maiden flight
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The UK's first full-size autonomous helicopter has completed its maiden flight. The aircraft, known as the Proteus Technology Demonstrator, took to the air from Predannack airfield on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall. The flight came just weeks after Proteus completed extensive ground-running trials at Leonardo's Yeovil site. Autonomous helicopters such as Proteus are expected to form a central part of future hybrid air wings and the Ministry of Defence's Atlantic Bastion strategy, aimed at securing the North Atlantic. While the Royal Navy already operates a number of uncrewed systems, Proteus represents a major leap in scale, complexity, and autonomy. Instead of a human crew, the cockpit and cabin are occupied by sensors and computer systems, driven by advanced software that allows the aircraft to interpret its surroundings, make decisions, and act on them. During its first flight, Proteus carried out a short test routine, flying using its own controls without direct human input. Proteus has been designed to carry out a wide range of missions, including anti-submarine warfare and maritime patrol.
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