2012


Sikorsky S-70 H-60

OPV Black Hawk


UAVs



Sikorsky OPV Black Hawk

The Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV) Black Hawk program was launched by the US Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (AMRDEC). A JUH-60A was modified as the Rotorcraft Aircrew Systems Concept Airborne Laboratory ( RASCAL ) to develop the next generation of technological advances in military helicopters: obstacle field navigation and safe landing area determination.

In 2022, equipped with DARPA Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System ( ALIAS ) completed its first uninhabited and autonomous flight.

In 2025, the US Army selected Near Earth Autonomy and Honeywell to retrofit UH-60L Black Hawks with advanced autonomy kits as its new logistics solution.


  OPV Black Hawk News


Autonomous Black Hawk Firefighter Demonstration in California

Autonomous Black Hawk Firefighter Demonstration in California

01-May-25 - California firefighters witnessed water drops from an autonomous Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter guided by Rain wildfire mission autonomy technology #firefighting
US Army Selects Tech for Autonomous Black Hawk

US Army Selects Tech for Autonomous Black Hawk

29-Apr-25 - US Army selects Near Earth Autonomy and Honeywell for its autonomous Black Hawk helicopter logistics solution. The contract will see the retrofitting of old UH-60L Black Hawks with advanced autonomy kits #BlackHawk
Sikorsky to Demonstrate Flight Autonomy to the Marines

Sikorsky to Demonstrate Flight Autonomy to the Marines

13-Dec-24 - Under the Phase 1 Aerial Logistics Connector agreement with the US Naval Air Systems Command, Sikorsky will demonstrate its Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV) UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, equipped with the MATRIX flight autonomy system, to the US Marine Corps in 2025 #drones
Rain Autonomous Black Hawk Firefighter Demonstration

Rain Autonomous Black Hawk Firefighter Demonstration

11-Nov-24 - Rain and Lockheed Martin demonstrates in Connecticut an aerial water drop by an autonomous Black Hawk helicopter to representatives from NASA, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Los Angeles County Fire Department and Orange County Fire Authority #firefighting
DARPA Installs MATRIX on UH-60MX Black Hawk

DARPA Installs MATRIX on UH-60MX Black Hawk

14-Oct-24 - The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded Lockheed-Martin a $6M contract to install its ALIAS/MATRIX flight autonomy system onto the US Army’s experimental fly-by-wire UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter #MX
01-Mar-24 Autonomous Black Hawk for Rapid Response to Wildfires Heli-Expo 2024
14-Oct-23 Rain and Uncrewed Black Hawk in Aerial Wildland Firefighting #firefighting
12-Apr-23 Remotely Controlled Firefighter Black Hawk Helicopter #firefighting
01-Dec-22 “Best of What’s New” for Optionally Piloted Black Hawk #innovation
04-Nov-22 Black Hawk Flies Missions Without Pilots #drones
09-Feb-22 “ALIAS” OPV Black Hawk First Autonomous Flight #drones
30-Mar-21 OPV Black Hawk with Supervised Autonomy #drones
19-Aug-19 Black Hawk SFM Drone First Flight #drones
06-Jun-19 New Fly-by-Wire Kit for Optionally Piloted Black Hawk #BlackHawk
20-Jan-16 UGV/UAV Joint Autonomy demonstration for US Army
13-May-14 Autonomous UH-60A for Cargo missions
13-May-14 Sikorsky and NREC partners in Army demonstration
21-Apr-14 Optionally Piloted Black Hawk First Flight
29-Apr-13 US Army Optionally Piloted Black Hawk
03-Dec-12 US Army Black Hawk flies autonomously




  List of Operators of OPV Black Hawk


Years Model Org
1974-    S-70 H-60 usa Sikorsky Helicopters
2025-    usa US Army Aviation





Construction Numbers


C/N Year History
70-115 1980 US 79-23298,N600PV








Helicopters for sale
Accidents
Acronyms
Airshows
Future helicopters
Flying a helicopter
Helicopter stories
TV and movies

Helicopter books
Helicopter patches
Helicopter model kits


az