These groundbreaking flights showed how existing and future piloted utility helicopters could fly complex missions in reduced crew or autonomous mode
Sikorsky and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) successfully demonstrated to the US Army how uninhabited Black Hawk helicopters flying autonomously could safely and reliably perform internal and external cargo resupply missions and rescue operations.
The technology development involved multiple demonstration phases. In an early milestone, Sikorsky and DARPA tested supervised autonomy capabilities on the S-70 Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV) Black Hawk, demonstrating complete autonomous control from takeoff to landing using only a tablet. Later demonstrations performed on October 12, 14, and 18 during the US Army’s Project Convergence 2022 (PC22) experiment showed how existing and future piloted utility helicopters could one day fly complex missions in reduced crew or autonomous mode. These flights demonstrated how this technology could give Army commanders and aviators greater flexibility in how and when aircraft and pilots are used, especially in limited visibility or contested environments.
Why It Matters
Sikorsky partnered with DARPA to develop autonomy technology designed to exponentially improve the flight safety and efficiency of rotary and fixed-wing aircraft. Sikorsky’s autonomy system, known as MATRIX technology, formed the core of DARPA’s ALIAS (Aircrew Labor In-cockpit Automation System) project.
“We believe MATRIX technology is ready now for the transition to the Army as they look to modernize the enduring helicopter fleet and acquire Future Vertical Lift aircraft,” said Igor Cherepinsky, director of Sikorsky Innovations, in a Lockheed Martin news release. “In addition to increasing flight safety and reliability, MATRIX technology enables survivability in high-tempo, high-threat 21st-century security environments where Black Hawk helicopters operate today, and Defiant X and Raider X helicopters could operate in the future. Uncrewed or reduced-crew helicopters could safely perform critical and lifesaving missions day or night in complex terrain and contested battlespace.”
Early Demonstrations: Tablet-Controlled Flight
In initial testing, this technology was demonstrated in a first-of-its-kind mission showing complete supervised autonomy capabilities on the S-70 OPV Black Hawk—including autonomous take-off, landing, and two simulated obstacle avoidance scenarios—all completed with a tablet.
The technology suite existed in Sikorsky’s S-70 Optionally Piloted Vehicle Black Hawk and the Sikorsky Autonomy Research Aircraft (SARA), a modified S-76B helicopter. Developed under DARPA’s ALIAS program and with the support of Sikorsky’s MATRIX Technology, the system was designed to allow pilots to focus on saving lives or transporting cargo instead of the mechanics required for contemporary flight.
“Through the ALIAS program and our unique combination of autonomy software and hardware, we are bringing our customers one step closer to safer and smarter flight,” said Cherepinsky in a company news release. “Our end goal is to transition this technology to help address emerging mission requirements, including those outlined in the US Army’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program.”
From takeoff to landing, ALIAS and MATRIX left little work to be done by the pilots on board during these tests. Accompanied by a safety pilot, Sikorsky’s chief pilot, Mark Ward, commanded the supervised autonomous mission using only a tablet. The OPV Black Hawk turned and maneuvered its way through the simulated obstacles as they appeared on the tablet screen.
“Our approach to autonomy is both full-spectrum and human-centric,” Ward said. “As this demonstration showed, aerial vehicles equipped with MATRIX technology will be capable of operating autonomously from takeoff to landing, something we are capable of doing routinely now.”
The Project Convergence 2022 Demonstrations
During the PC22 Technology Gateway at Yuma, the Sikorsky and DARPA team demonstrated how the optionally piloted Black Hawk helicopter with no humans on board could deliver a large quantity of blood products unharmed by flying low and fast above ground level using terrain to mask its signature, resupply troops with an external load, and re-route mid-flight to evacuate a casualty.
To begin the flight demonstrations, pilots flew and landed the Black Hawk aircraft, then activated the MATRIX system to give full control to the flight computer. When the pilots exited, the helicopter autonomously completed the following mission demonstrations:
- Long-endurance Medical Resupply: The Black Hawk aircraft flew 83 miles while loaded with 400 units of real and simulated blood, totaling 500 pounds. On reaching 40 miles from its initial takeoff point, the helicopter descended into a valley as low as 200 feet above ground level at 100 knots.
- Cargo Delivery and Casualty Evacuation (combined mission): The helicopter lifted off with a 2,600-pound external load attached to a 40-foot sling and flew at 100 knots for 30 minutes toward a designated landing zone. While in flight, the helicopter was redirected, simulating a scenario in which a threat needed to be neutralized near the primary landing site. Sikorsky demonstrated how a ground operator with a secure radio and tablet could take control of the uncrewed helicopter, command it to release its sling load, and then land to evacuate a casualty from a nearby location. Once the manikin on a litter was secured inside the cabin, the ground operator launched the aircraft. During the return flight, a BATDOK health monitoring device integrated with the helicopter’s communications system relayed the patient’s vitals in real-time to a ground-based medical team.
Impact on Future Operations
With ALIAS, there was the potential to transform how aviators and air crews execute their critical missions; operators could fly their aircraft safely, reliably, confidently, and affordably, even with a reduced crew and limited visibility.
Managing highly sophisticated equipment while maintaining situational awareness across multiple domains is taxing. ALIAS and MATRIX were designed to improve operator decision-making, aiding in manned operations while also enabling both unmanned and reduced-crew operations in increasingly complex future mission scenarios.
“We designed RAIDER X and DEFIANT X to compete in highly complex JADO environments. Our advancements in automation and autonomy will enable aircrews to focus on the mission, not just flying the aircraft,” said Jay Macklin, Business Development Director for Sikorsky Future Vertical Lift. “Our approach reduces pilot and crew workload by offloading certain mission tasks, enabling better situational awareness of the overall mission while providing extended operational capability and increased safety.”
RAIDER X was Sikorsky’s offering for the US Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA). DEFIANT X was the Sikorsky-Boeing team’s solution for the Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA).
What Came Next
The PC22 demonstrations were the second set of uninhabited Black Hawk flights that year, building on demonstrations at the US Army’s Project Convergence 2021. The Black Hawk helicopter involved in this project was the first-ever UH-60 that flew autonomously, illustrating how ALIAS-enabled aircraft could help soldiers successfully execute complex missions with selectable levels of autonomy—and with increased safety and reliability.
Sikorsky continued to develop and transition its pilot-direct autonomy capabilities under Phase III of the DARPA ALIAS program through 2022. The technology was not limited to the Black Hawk and was being incorporated into commercial and military fixed-wing aircraft. ALIAS technology and autonomy enabled greater mission flexibility, increased safety, and allowed end users to reimagine how they could use air vehicles on current and future battlefields.
The companies worked toward the transition of this technology for military operations, such as aircrew support and operations, logistics and medical resupply, casualty evacuation, and commercial applications such as firefighting, cargo, and urban air mobility.
Photos by Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky
