Advanced Air Mobility Modern Flying

Skyryse Achieves First SkyOS-Equipped Black Hawk Flight

Company is developing flight automation systems for a wide range of rotorcraft and fixed-wing aircraft.

Wednesday, December 24, 2025 at 09:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter equipped with Skyryse’s SkyOS flight operating system completes an automated pickup, hover, and touchdown. [Credit: Skyryse]

Key Takeaways:

Skyryse successfully completed the first flight of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter equipped with its SkyOS universal flight operating system, demonstrating automated takeoff, hover, and landing using simplified controls like a finger swipe or single joystick.
The SkyOS system replaces traditional flight controls with digital displays and fly-by-wire technology, aiming to enhance safety, reduce pilot workload, and provide advanced capabilities such as automated autorotation and loss-of-control prevention.
Although first demonstrated on the Black Hawk for potential military integration, SkyOS is designed to be a universal solution capable of automating various aircraft types, including other helicopters and fixed-wing planes, with ongoing integrations for diverse civil and military applications.

See a mistake? Contact us.

A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter designed to take off or touch down with the swipe of a finger has made its first flight.

Skyryse, which began integrating its SkyOS universal flight operating system on the Black Hawk three months ago, on Tuesday announced the helicopter’s inaugural flight. It completed an automated pickup, hover, and touchdown, performing “precision flight maneuvers” with a single joystick while in the air, Skyryse said.

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.