US Marine Corps to experience Sikorsky flight autonomy demo
Via optionally piloted Black Hawk
The US Marine Corps has selected Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, to demonstrate the capabilities of its Matrix flight autonomy system. The operational demonstrations planned for 2025 will use Sikorsky’s Optionally Piloted UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to showcase how autonomous flight can support the Marine Corps’ Aerial Logistics Connector programme, which aims to enhance resupply operations in contested battlespaces.
Without human intervention, the Matrix system enables aircraft to perform complex missions autonomously, including internal and external cargo transport. This capability is crucial in high-risk environments where traditional crewed missions may be more vulnerable.
Rich Benton, Sikorsky’s Vice President and General Manager, explained, “Aircraft with Matrix autonomy can safely and reliably perform a variety of complex missions, including internal and external cargo transport with no one on board.”
Through the collaboration, the US Marine Corps will explore how a fleet of uncrewed aerial systems, including rotary and fixed-wing aircraft, can deliver precise and efficient resupply for Marines operating from US Navy ships or expeditionary bases. One notable feature of the system is its ability for US Marines to interface with the autonomous aircraft via a tablet, allowing mission adjustments before or after takeoff.
The Matrix system demonstrations are funded through a Phase 1 Aerial Logistics Connector agreement under the Naval Aviation Systems Consortium. The agreement, managed by the Naval Air Systems Command (Navair), aims to advance autonomous flight capabilities and their application in military logistics.
Sikorsky Innovations
Sikorsky Innovations, the company’s rapid development and prototyping division, has demonstrated the Matrix system’s relevance in military and commercial operational environments, working aboard multiple rotary and fixed-wing aircraft.
Initially developed to enhance the safety of crewed helicopters, the Matrix system has evolved, with significant advancements supported by the US Department of Defence’s Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) Alias programme.
The system now offers multiple modes of operation, including assisted flight handling for two-pilot operations, a virtual co-pilot for a single pilot, and fully autonomous flight with no pilots on board.
Recent demonstrations of the Matrix autonomy system have showcased its capabilities in various settings. In July 2024, at Stafford Airport in Virginia, and again in October 2024 at the Association of the United States Army exposition in Washington DC, Sikorsky and Darpa displayed autonomous flights of the Optionally Piloted Black Hawk helicopter.
US Department of Defence officials could send high-level mission goals to the plane during the October demonstration. The aircraft, located 300 miles away at Sikorsky’s headquarters in Connecticut, autonomously took off, hovered, flew a short circuit around the flight field, and landed successfully. These demonstrations highlight the growing maturity of autonomous flight technology and its potential for military logistics applications.
These recent tests build on earlier demonstrations of autonomous logistics flights, particularly at Project Convergence 2022, when Sikorsky and Darpa successfully showed that the Optionally Piloted Black Hawk could operate without any crew. During those flights, the helicopter performed internal and external cargo resupply missions, providing valuable proof of concept for future autonomous logistics missions.
Sikorsky’s collaboration with the US Marine Corps will further refine the role of autonomous systems in military operations, particularly in contested environments. The goal is to ensure that autonomous flight capabilities can be reliably integrated into the military’s logistics chain, providing a flexible and resilient solution for supplying troops in high-tempo, distributed operations.
As the US military continues to explore the benefits of autonomy in aviation, Sikorsky remains at the forefront of innovation, developing technologies that promise to transform how future conflicts are supported and sustained. Sikorsky’s Matrix system continues to evolve, setting the stage for more advanced and reliable uncrewed operations across military and commercial sectors.
Hero image: An optionally piloted UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter with external load performs a demonstration at the US Army Yuma Proving Ground in 2022. Credit: Sikorsky
Last Updated on 8 hours by Arnold Pinto
