‘Optionally Piloted’ Black Hawk Takes a Step Forward

The $6 million in government funding will go toward installing a flight autonomy system in an experimental U.S. Army UH-60M helicopter.

Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at 10:37 AM ET

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OPV Blackhawk N600PV at Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona, on October 12, 2022 during Gateway Technology PC22. The uninhabited aircraft made a one-hour flight, carrying human blood in the cabin. [Courtesy: Sikorsky]

Key Takeaways:

Sikorsky received a $6 million award from DARPA to advance its flight autonomy program.
The funding will be used to install Sikorsky's ALIAS/MATRIX system into a U.S. Army UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter for testing.
The program's goal is to enable the U.S. Army to test autonomy capabilities ranging from single-pilot operation to fully uninhabited flight, aiming to improve safety, reduce pilot workload, and enhance mission flexibility.

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Sikorsky, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, announced Monday it has received a $6 million award from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to advance its flight autonomy program.

The government funding will go toward installing Sikorsky’s ALIAS/MATRIX (Aircrew Labor In-cockpit Automation System) in a U.S. Army experimental fly-by-wire Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter designated MX.