At this week’s AVALON Australian International Air Show, Ascent AeroSystems announced Sydney-based HELIFLITE as the first Authorized Ascent AeroSystems Dealer in Australasia.
Paul Fermo, Vice President of Business Development for Ascent AeroSystems – a leading manufacturer of compact, high-performance, aircraft-grade coaxial unmanned aerial systems – commented, “As one of the region’s most respected helicopter and aviation solutions providers, Heliflite is a natural fit to bring our mission-critical UAV systems to customers across the region.
“A long-standing member of the Robinson Helicopter Company dealer network, Heliflite strengthens the bridge between manned and unmanned rotorcraft operations and will play a key role in accelerating awareness and adoption of our high-performance coaxial UAVs to a wide range of government, military, commercial and industrial operators.”
Heliflite’s offering of NDAA-compliant unmanned platforms will include:
- NX30 – A medium-lift small UAV that offers up to 15 pounds of payload capability, speeds over 60 mph, and endurance of up to 65-minutes.
- SPIRIT – The flagship platform in the Ascent family, SPIRIT offers top and bottom payload
integration options, one or two battery configurations, and up to 53-minutes of endurance. - HELIUS – An all-new sub-250g nano UAV, HELIUS is designed to be an affordable AI-enabled option for law enforcement, emergency response, government, and industrial enterprise operators looking to upgrade or replace other systems.
With offices in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, and Auckland, Heliflite will provide local sales, support, and integration services for all Ascent products throughout Australia and New Zealand.
For industrial, government, law enforcement, and other frontline operators, integrating Ascent UAVs means faster response times, reduced risk, and new mission profiles—especially in conditions that are not optimal or safe for traditional crewed aircraft.
Ascent’s coaxial platforms are built to the same standards as type-certificated crewed aircraft, offering unmatched performance, reliability, and versatility in even the harshest conditions—at a fraction of the size and cost.
Heliflite Chief Operations Officer Robert Bentley-Johnson said, “We see this as a value-added extension of our manned helicopter portfolio. Our customers are looking for greater operational flexibility—UAVs that can safely fly missions when manned aircraft can’t, whether due to weather, cost, or risk.
“The Ascent systems deliver that capability in a compact, rugged, all- weather design and with the same level of reliability and performance that our customers expect from our traditional rotorcraft platforms.”
Fermo added, “This is an important milestone in our global expansion strategy, and a perfect example of the natural synergies between the Robinson and Ascent product families.”
Ascent AeroSystems UAVs are available through Heliflite, effective immediately.
