Autonomous helicopters have been in the works for years now, and that means we’re already getting to see some incipient results. One such development might take the form of a self-flying Black Hawk helicopter, for which DARPA just gave one of the biggest names in this sector, Sikorsky, a contract worth $6 million.
The first time we’ve heard about a Black Hawk that can fly itself was back in 2022, when the so-called Optionally Piloted Vehicle took to the sky. The flight was repeated several times since, each time increasing in complexity as far as both the mission and the gear used to make such flights possible are concerned.
In February 2024, for instance, the Black Hawk flew alongside a modified S-76B medium-size rotorcraft called Sikorsky Autonomy Research Aircraft (SARA) while using an autonomous software suite called Matrix in Sikorsky’s speak, part of DARPA’s Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) program.
Recent Comments