Robinson Unveils Family of Self-Flying Helicopters

Manufacturer is integrating autonomy systems on its flagship R44 and R66 models.

Jack Daleo

Friday, March 20, 2026 at 02:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Robinson Unmanned’s R44 Airtruck is an autonomous variant of the company’s flagship helicopter. [Credit: Robinson Unmanned]

Key Takeaways:

Robinson Helicopter has launched "Robinson Unmanned," a new business unit that merges its uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) activities and the acquired Ascent AeroSystems, signaling a major strategic shift towards autonomous vertical flight.
The new unit will introduce uncrewed variants of its R44 (Airtruck for heavy-lift cargo and Sprayhawk for agriculture) and R66 (Turbinetruck, equipped with Sikorsky's Matrix autonomy system for defense logistics).
Robinson Unmanned will also offer three small coaxial UAS (Helius, Spirit, Spartan) from Ascent, with the company projecting this autonomous sector could potentially become larger than its traditional helicopter businesses.

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Robinson Helicopter has produced conventional rotorcraft for more than half a century. But the company is making autonomous and remotely piloted aircraft a key part of its future.

Robinson this month formally combined its uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) activities and Ascent AeroSystems subsidiary, acquired in 2024, to form Robinson Unmanned—a developer of small drones as well as self-flying helicopters built around its flagship R44 and R66.