Cummings Aerospace and ATRX Join Forces to Develop Hypersonic Unmanned Aircraft
Cummings Aerospace and ATRX have announced a strategic partnership to develop cutting-edge unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) capable of supersonic and hypersonic flight. This collaboration is set to revolutionize high-speed drone technology by integrating ATRX’s advanced Air Turbo Rocket (ATR) engine with Cummings Aerospace’s proven Hellhound UAS platform.
A Leap in Hypersonic Drone Technology
The goal of this partnership is to create cost-effective, high-speed UAS solutions that will enhance military capabilities and pave the way for future space applications. With the increasing demand for hypersonic systems, these drones could play a critical role in modern warfare, giving the U.S. and its allies a significant advantage over near-peer adversaries.
Beyond military applications, the collaboration has broader implications for spaceplane development. The ability to launch and land from conventional runways could dramatically change satellite deployment strategies, especially as commercial satellite launches surge in the coming years.
Hellhound UAS: A Proven Platform for Hypersonic Flight
Cummings Aerospace is contributing its modular Hellhound UAS to the project. The Hellhound is a next-generation unmanned system with multiple specialized variants, designed for different mission requirements. A new version of the Hellhound is now being adapted to accommodate ATRX’s Air Turbo Rocket, a propulsion system designed to achieve speeds up to Mach 5.
One of the key advantages of the Hellhound is its affordability. By utilizing a 3D-printed modular design and commercial off-the-shelf components, the drone remains cost-effective while maintaining high performance. Its ability to rapidly swap payloads in under five minutes without the need for specialized tools makes it highly adaptable for a wide range of missions.
The ATRX Air Turbo Rocket: Powering the Next Generation of Hypersonic Drones
The ATRX Air Turbo Rocket (ATR) is a hybrid propulsion system designed for sustained high-speed flight. Unlike traditional engines, the ATR combines the efficiency of a jet engine with the raw power of a rocket, making it an ideal choice for hypersonic applications. Multiple prototype tests have already been conducted, and the partnership with Cummings Aerospace will provide an opportunity to validate its performance in real-world flight conditions.
Industry Leaders Weigh In
Sheila Cummings, CEO of Cummings Aerospace, emphasized the need for high-speed aerial systems that can operate in contested airspace. She stated that this partnership will enable the development of affordable, long-range UAS capable of operating at unprecedented speeds.
Felix Bustos III, CEO of ATRX, highlighted the importance of this project for accelerating spaceplane development. He noted that by testing the ATR engine on a flight-proven airframe, the companies could streamline the process of bringing hypersonic and space-access technologies to market.
Bustos also pointed to Huntsville, Alabama, as a key location for the project. With its skilled aerospace workforce and growing presence in hypersonic and spaceplane research, Huntsville has the potential to become a major hub for advanced aerospace manufacturing.
What’s Next?
The next phase of the project will focus on integrating the ATR engine into a high-speed Hellhound variant. The companies are preparing for subsonic and supersonic flight tests, which are expected to begin soon. These tests will be crucial in determining the operational feasibility of hypersonic unmanned aircraft.
Meanwhile, Cummings Aerospace continues to push forward with other UAS initiatives. The Hellhound S3, a variant developed for the U.S. Army’s Loitering Munition program, recently completed a successful series of flight tests, further demonstrating the platform’s versatility.
The collaboration between Cummings Aerospace and ATRX represents a significant step forward in hypersonic unmanned systems development. By combining their expertise, the two companies are positioning themselves at the forefront of next-generation drone technology, with potential applications spanning defense, aerospace, and future space missions.
