Innovation Soars in Honeywell’s Unique ‘Copper Bird’ Flight Demonstrator

Piloting the Honeywell Aerospace “Copper Bird” flight demonstrator is about as close as you can get to flying one of the new electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft without leaving the ground.

Touchscreen displays with amazing clarity dominate the cockpit panel, delivering all the benefits of the world’s most advanced and intuitive integrated flight deck – Honeywell Anthem. Screen imagery aligns seamlessly with projected terrain images seen through the windscreen, replicating a real-world flying experience.

Pilots use inceptors and fly-by-wire technology to feed commands to the flight control computer. Honeywell Assure electromechanical actuators move the aircraft’s control surfaces, which respond just as they would in a real eVTOL aircraft. 

Using Copper Bird for ‘Show and Tell’

“The Copper Bird is a real-time integrated aircraft testbed and ‘show and tell’ platform that demonstrates the complete stick-to-surface, all-electric control chain in one place,” said Phil Robinson, Chief Technology Officer for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). “It turns normally invisible electronic processes into something tangible for our customers, partners and investors to see and understand.” 

The name “Copper Bird” derives from “iron bird,” a common aerospace industry term used to describe a ground-bound platform aircraft manufacturers use to develop, integrate and validate an aircraft’s systems before it ever flies. The Copper Bird is located and Honeywell Aerospace is headquartered in Arizona, which is known as the Copper State.

“We regularly use the Copper Bird to show people how Honeywell Aerospace technologies work together,” said Jacob Maxfield, Senior Offering Manager for the Honeywell Aerospace AAM team. 

“It allows us to demonstrate how our flight control computers, actuators, inceptors and displays are fully integrated, mature and ready to support next generation aircraft. It’s a powerful way to demonstrate both the capabilities of the individual products and the value of bringing them together as a unified system.”

The Copper Bird is also a powerful tool for showcasing the game-changing potential of advanced fly-by-wire flight control laws like those being in AAM vehicles. 

“There is no substitute for letting people see, touch and experience AAM firsthand,” Robinson said. “Public awareness and acceptance are essential. People need to see that Honeywell is helping make AAM a reality with the same rigor and level of safety we apply to traditional aircraft.” 

Creating a Real-World Experience 

Located at the sprawling Honeywell Aerospace Deer Valley campus in North Phoenix, the Copper Bird is also used by engineers to observe and validate requirements and how AAM systems link pilot inputs to Honeywell Anthem and Compact Fly-By-Wire to the precise movement of flight surfaces driven by Honeywell Assure actuators. This all occurs in real time and without ever leaving the ground. 

Copper Bird pilots have included Honeywell Aerospace AAM partners from companies like Vertical Aerospace, as well as conventional aircraft companies eager to experience Honeywell Anthem in action. Anthem is ideally suited to the unique needs of eVTOL aircraft and is also scalable to support commercial air transport, business and general aviation and military applications.

Top aviation journalists, business and civic leaders and investors have also experienced what it’s like to fly the Copper Bird and have come away impressed, according to Maxfield.