FLARES Celebrates 1,000 Safe Flights

Hood Tech’s 2^nd Generation Flying Launch and Recovery System (FLARES 2) logged its 1,000^th flight this month, maintaining a 99.9% safety record. FLARES consists of a releasable multicopter that adds vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capability to various fixed-wing aircraft. The current system can carry 85-pounds and has suffered only 1 mishap in 1,000 flights.

FLARES achieves unmatched reliability through extensive redundancy and generous power margins.

‍Achievements:

• ‍FLARES has launched and/or recovered 7-different fixed-wing aircraft types.  
• Operation in harsh environments:

• 115F Desert heat
• -20F Arctic cold
• 9,600ft density altitude
• Continuous rain
• Up to 40 knot winds

• Operation from a US Navy DDG ship, rolling +/-5 degrees.
• Expansion to 175lb fixed-wing aircraft:  FLARES 3, Hood Tech’s larger system, has logged over 100 safe flights while maintaining a 99% safety record.
• D-FLARES, repurposes the system for short-range cargo delivery; maritime Vertical Resupply (VERTREP) for example.  To demonstrate, a 52lb Honda generator was delivered to the bed of a pickup truck.
• Hood Tech’s training program has certified dozens of US Navy personnel as qualified FLARES operators