Tag: Turkey

AutoGyro gyroplane Cavalon Sentinel flying over the highway for search and rescue

Further major orders for AutoGyro

Written by Huug Jansen on 21/02/2024. Posted in NEWS.

Gyroplane fleets ensure security from the air

At the start of this year AutoGyro GmbH won two major contracts for professional gyroplanes. A total of 18 „Sentinels“, most camera-equipped, were ordered by international police forces and law enforcement agencies to perform aerial surveillance tasks. Following the successful initial deployment in 2023, the Turkish Jandarma Havacilik has decided to expand its fleet by six more specialised Rotax 916 iS powered Cavalon Sentinels. In addition, another key authority has ordered seven Cavalon 916 iS Sentinels as well as five Calidus 916 iS Sentinels accompanied by a package for flight crew training and the associated infrastructure.

Effective performing of aerial monitoring tasks – Why Turkish Jandarma relies on AutoGyro gyroplanes

As a camera-carrying platform for day and night aerial surveillance, the AutoGyro Cavalon Sentinel has successfully proven to be highly cost-effective, practical and sustainable for tasks such as traffic monitoring, aerial search and border patrol.

The Director of Gendarmerie Aviation at Jandarma Havacilik Turkey, Major General Ali DOĞAN, explains what was decisive for the initial choice of gyroplanes: „We needed a cost-effective aerial vehicle capable of performing helicopter tasks and transmitting images from the air (…) because flight and maintenance costs of our helicopters are quite high.” After extensive testing and successful deployment in 2023, the gyroplanes proved to be the right solution for their tasks. New mission cases have been added and the gyro fleet is now being expanded.The new six Cavalon Sentinels will be delivered in summer 2024.

Milestone for the professional use of gyroplanes

Gerald Speich, CEO of AutoGyro, explains the significance of both the major order to the new customer and the follow-up order to the Turkish Jandarma: „These multi-million euro orders are not only an important milestone for AutoGyro as a company, but also strengthen our footprint within the global professional market. Gyroplanes have become an attractive addition or alternative vehicle in many areas of aerial surveillance. Airborne security is being rethought in many countries – not only in terms of cost-effectiveness, but also from an environmental perspective, arenas that our aircraft excel in.“

Aleksandra Witkowska, Co-CEO, commented „These professional market successes that have led to these new orders are the result of exceptional teamwork and also of AutoGyro’s standing as the only manufacturer in the gyroplane sector to comply with all major national safety and airworthiness regulations. These new orders have enabled us to look forward to the future with huge confidence”.

The AutoGyro Sentinel model as platform for aerial surveillance

The professionally used Sentinel models are characterized not only by easy and cost-effective operation and maintenance, but also by maximised safety, cabin comfort and sustainability. With operating costs of less than 200 EUR per hour and a low consumption of only 25 litres super unleaded fuel per hour (57,5 kg CO2/h emissions), a gyroplane can carry out many tasks of other aerial vehicles whilst achieving the same or better levels of task accomplishment at vastly reduced costs. Thanks to a flight duration of up to four hours at a maximum speed up to 225 km/h, the gyroplanes can reach the operational areas fast, and can remain there on task for a considerable time at very slow speeds, enabling excellent observation results. The Sentinel can carry a range of task specific equipment, including special customer-defined equipment such as an integrated 4K and/or Infrared camera with a live downlink to ground personnel. Equipped with a UK Civil Aviation authority approved autopilot and customized avionics the AutoGyro Sentinel has the capability to operate even in IFR conditions. This equipment also reduces pilot fatigue workload in normal flight conditions.

AutoGyro made-in-Germany gyroplanes have many applications such as monitoring of pipelines, energy distribution networks, borders or traffic infrastructure, coasts, wildlife, disaster relief, and aerial mapping.

The leading gyroplane manufacturer AutoGyro will supply 18 professional use Sentinels for various surveillance missions – such as traffic monitoring for the Turkish Jandarma.

Jandarma Reference

AutoGyro Cavalon Sentinel

Turkey Jandarma Report – Cavalon Sentinel Fleet Aerial Surveillance use case

Written by Tatiana Vidnevskaia on 23/10/2023. Posted in NEWS.

Learn first-hand from Turkish Jandarma Havacilik about the economic advantages and their experience when using AutoGyro gyroplanes instead of helicopters for aerial surveillance tasks. Equipped with cameras and autopilot, our AutoGyro Cavalon Sentinels are successfully used for traffic monitoring and other missions – in a very cost-effective, practical and green way.

On the occasion of its 55th anniversary, the Gendarmerie Aviation Department provides impressive insights, including the procurement process, experience and expansion plans for their fleet and use cases.

Read the excerpts or the complete interviews with the Jandarma responsibles in the special issue of „Defence Turkey“ | Volume 17 | Issue 125, 2023 | Aerial Photos: Cem DOĞUT.

COST-EFFECTIVE SEARCH & MONITORING

“Flight and maintenance costs of our helicopters are quite high. We needed a cost-effective aerial vehicle capable of performing helicopter tasks and transmitting images from the air.

The time for aerial search can be 10x longer than the time for the rescue phase using the helicopter. So we split the search and rescue mission into 2 parts.
The aerial search includes for example:

Searching for accident victims, drug cultivation areas, illegal immigration, tracking and locating criminals
Providing aerial security for VIPs
Ensuring security of natural gas & oil pipelines.”

Major General Ali DOĞAN
Director of Gendarmerie Aviation┃Jandarma Havacilik Turkey

OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND EXPANDED USE

“As a result of the efforts of our R&D Department, we decided that AutoGyro gyroplanes could fulfill this role. We quickly integrated this system into our inventory, not only incorporating the electro-optical capabilities that a few of our helicopters possess but also enabling the transmission of these images to our personnel on the ground.

Subsequently, by coordinating with our units, we explored other potential areas of utilization: We expanded the inventory of AutoGyro gyroplanes by adding tasks such as: public safety, search & rescue, reconnaissance, surveillance, border security, wildfire monitoring and illicit crop monitoring.

With many more projects, we remain committed to enhancing our operational effectiveness with our approach.”

Senior Colonel Arif HAKERLER
Chief of the Gendarmerie Aviation Division┃Jandarma Havacilik Turkey

REDUCED FLIGHT AND MAINTENANCE COSTS

“The maintenance and sustainment activities for our AutoGyro gyroplanes are carried out by our own technicians. The use of regular gasoline significantly reduces flight costs, making operational expenses incredibly economical. While the hourly flight cost for a helicopter is approximately US$ 3.000, for a AutoGyro gyroplane, this cost reduces to around US$ 35.”

Gendarmerie Pilot Colonel Ruhi YÜKSEL
The Commander of the Support Group at the
Gendarmerie Aviation Department┃Jandarma Havacilik Turkey

AutoGyro delivers three Cavalon Sentinel gyroplanes to the Turkish Gendarmerie

Written by CA on 01/02/2023. Posted in NEWS.

Hildesheim, January 31, 2023 – AutoGyro GmbH, the world-leading gyroplane manufacturer from Germany, hands over three Cavalon Sentinel gyrocopter aircraft fully equipped with a unique package of police systems and cameras to the Gendarmerie of the Republic of Türkiye (Turkish Jandarma).

Once deployed, the AutoGyro aircraft will support traffic monitoring and aerial surveillance in rural and urban areas for the General Directorate of Security in Türkiye as well as wildfires survey and control.

At the handover ceremony on January 31st at Hildesheim Airfield in Germany, Gerald Speich, Chairman of the AutoGyro Board, stated: “The Turkish, German and Ukrainian teams have been working on this government procurement project for two and half years, and have been building these unique gyroplanes for over three months. Today’s event is a culmination of this immense international teamwork, and involved every person in the AutoGyro Team. We are the only manufacturer in the gyroplane sector complying with all major national regulations. And our aircraft comply with the highest worldwide safety requirements. AutoGyro is immensely proud that our aircraft will be supporting the Turkish Jandarma for many years to come. Providing an effective, low cost solution to their policing needs.”

After two days of acceptance trials at AutoGyro Headquarters in Hildesheim, Germany. The Jandarma Acceptance Team, together with Sky Olympos (AutoGyro’s official distributor in Türkiye). Formally received the three aircraft from AutoGyro during the January 31st ceremony. With representatives from the Industrial and Commercial Chamber of Lower Saxony, Civil Aviation Authority Lower Saxony and Niedersachsen Aviation attending. The three Cavalon Sentinel were prepared for dispatch and commencement of aerial operations afterwards.
“This successful delivery not only highlights the innovative excellence of AutoGyro. It also marks the huge step that AutoGyro has made in the design, configuration and supply of gyroplanes for commercial and government use,” Gerald Speich continues.

The Cavalon Sentinel is AutoGyro’s premium side-by-side seat model, powered by the ultra-reliable and low fuel burn Rotax 915iS engine.
The gyrocopter aircraft has an operational range of four hours, or approximately 600 kilometers.
It carries special customer-defined equipment including a high-res day-, night- and infrared camera system with real-time data link. This system provides a best-in-class solution in day and night conditions.
By officially adding AutoGyro gyroplanes to the Jandarma’s aircraft fleet. The aircraft and parts become available to other NATO member countries through NATO’s procurement system.

A gyroplane is not a helicopter or a traditional winged aircraft, providing a vehicle platform complimentary to both. They are inherently safe aircraft, with a very broad speed range. They can be flown very slowly. Even to zero kilometers per hour. Making them an excellent observation platform perfect for border or highway patrols or wildfire spotting. Gyroplanes have a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to helicopters. And generally offer a cost-efficient and environment-friendly alternative for commercial aerial tasks.