Robinson, Skyryse to Turn R66 Helicopter Into a UAS

Manufacturer’s Unmanned division will work with system automator to equip the rotorcraft with uncrewed capabilities.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, June 25, 2026 at 09:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

The cockpit of Skyryse’s flagship Skyryse One helicopter, a modified R66, replaces conventional controls with a single control stick, pair of touchscreen displays, and fly-by-wire system. [Credit: Skyryse]

Key Takeaways:

Robinson Helicopter Company is partnering with Skyryse to develop an uncrewed R66 helicopter, designated as a Group 4 UAS, for a range of military defense applications.
This autonomous R66 will integrate Skyryse's SkyOS platform, which provides advanced autonomy, simplified controls, and capabilities for missions like intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) and crewed-uncrewed teaming (CCA).
The collaboration aims to deliver reliable, affordable, and scalable autonomous aircraft to defense agencies, leveraging Robinson's manufacturing capabilities and Skyryse's proven flight operating system.

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Robinson Helicopter Company, which in March unveiled a future family of autonomous rotorcraft, will turn its venerable R66 into an uncrewed asset for defense applications.

Skyryse—which bills its SkyOS platform as a universal operating system for flight, capable of simplifying the controls of any aircraft—on Tuesday revealed it is working with the manufacturer’s Robinson Unmanned unit to develop a Group 4 uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) for a wide range of military missions. The partners said the SkyOS-equipped R66 will be capable of launching effects, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, and even crewed-uncrewed teaming as a collaborative combat aircraft (CCA).