Black Hawk completes first-ever pilotless flight

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Sikorsky Aviation have flown a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter without aircrew for the first time.

As part of the Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) program, the optionally-piloted aircraft completed 30-minutes of pilotless flight over Fort Campbell, Kentucky, last week. Another short flight test was held on Monday.

During the trial, the autonomous Black Hawk demonstrated its ability to adapt to various mission environments and navigate through a simulated cityscape at normal speed and altitude, avoiding virtual buildings using Light Detection and Ranging.