Lockheed Martin Kestrel, Indago no longer under ITAR
NewsMay 14, 2014
ORLANDO, FL. Lockheed Martin made the announcement at the AUVSI show that the Kestrel autopilot and a version of the vertical takeoff and lift Indago system are no longer restricted by International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR); they are now controlled under the Export Administration Regulations. This enables quick, affordable deployments for international markets.
"We are looking forward to working with our international partners to deliver the Kestrel autopilot, Indago platform, and their robust capabilities," commented Kevin Westfall, Director of Unmanned Solutions at Lockheed Martin's Mission Systems and Training business. "The Kestrel 3.0 suite allows sensors to cross check each other for accuracy and fault detection. Additionally, the autopilot uses failsafe algorithms to return to base and auto land in emergency situations such as low battery or loss of communications with the ground control station."
The Kestrel 3.0 autopilot incorporates data from GPS and a suite of sensors to create an accurate estimate of the vehicle's location and orientation. Low latency and high rate data is sent to the motors to position and stabilize the vehicle and payload.
Lockheed Martin submitted a commodity jurisdiction request to obtain approval for exports, which led to the Kestrel 3.0 autopilot and Indago system’s availability for sale to international customers.
For additional information, visit www.lockheedmartin.com.
