Advanced VTOL Technologies (AVT) is a wholly Australian owned and operated company who has been conducting helicopter - ship interface analysis for over 10 years for the Australian Defence Force and a number of other Defence Forces around the world
AVT was initially founded in 1998 in Melbourne Australia under the name Beggs-Howe to provide contract services to the Australian Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO). Since its inception the company has provided over 30 highly skilled personnel for some 60 contracts in the areas of Aerospace engineering, Software engineering and Human factors. Contract support has been provided for operational analysis, helicopter dynamics, helicopter-ship dynamics, simulation fidelity assessment, human in the loop simulation, computer simulation graphics, software engineering, human factors research and experimental research.
Since January 1998 the company has specialised in helicopter-ship dynamic interface simulation for the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The company has been solely responsible for the development and maintenance of the DSTO owned Ondeck simulation software. AVT has significantly refined the software over the last 10 years to improve the codes fidelity and the number of helicopter types modelled. AVT now plans to use the core model as part of a real time ship based simulator aid to enhance ship and helicopter capability, improve safety and a tool for usage monitoring and airworthiness assessment. In recent times the company has begun to develop a capability in ship motion simulation analysis to support its ongoing helicopter-ship simulation activities. In 2005 AVT commenced providing international services to the Danish Navy, Swedish Navy and the New Zealand Navy to help define Ship-Helicopter Operational Limits (SHOL's) and help solve other operational issues.
Since 2003 the company has also been engaged in a research project to develop a VTOL UAV. Successful low rate hover control was realised in February 2007.Hover handling qualities analysis as well as STOL flight tests are currently being conducted.