An active-duty US soldier has achieved a significant milestone by operating the Optionally Piloted (OPV) Black Hawk helicopter during real-world missions, marking the first instance where a non-pilot or non-test engineer has independently operated this advanced aircraft. This groundbreaking achievement saw a US Army National Guard Sergeant First Class, trained in less than an hour, use a handheld tablet to control the Sikorsky rotorcraft, which is equipped with the innovative Matrix flight autonomy system. The operations included critical logistics and aerial delivery missions.
This historic event unfolded at the Northern Strike 25-2 military exercise in August, with Lockheed Martin revealing the details of the exercise in October. The demonstration underscored the potential of an autonomous Black Hawk to enhance mission reach and minimize risks for soldiers, confirming that non-aviator personnel can safely and effectively operate sophisticated aircraft through user-friendly control systems.
Rich Benton, Vice President and General Manager of Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, emphasized the benefits of such technology, stating, “In contested logistics situations, a Black Hawk operating as a large drone offers commanders greater resilience and flexibility to get resources to the point of need.”
Throughout the Northern Strike exercise, the Matrix-powered OPV Black Hawk displayed multiple key functionalities, including parachute drops, logistics recovery, and aerial operations involving external sling loads. For instance, during the exercise, a soldier successfully executed a Class 1 resupply mission, remotely managing operations from a Coast Guard boat situated 70 nautical miles away. This mission included two precision parachute drops at varying altitudes— a significant feat accomplished completely under soldier control.
Further showcasing its capabilities, the Black Hawk hovered while soldiers attached a 2,900-pound water tank without any pilot intervention, marking its first autonomous airborne external sling load operation. Additionally, the aircraft autonomously transported HIMARS launch tubes to a designated location, illustrating its operational versatility.
One of the standout moments was when an untrained soldier managed a simulated medical evacuation mission. This involved transferring an injured individual from the autonomous Black Hawk to a piloted helicopter on uneven terrain, marking a notable achievement in autonomous medical response capabilities for untrained personnel.
The successful execution of these missions not only broadens the operational scope of military logistics but also highlights the promising future of autonomous aviation within defense frameworks.
