Lockheed converts Black Hawk into pilotless cargo drone with 1,840-mile range
Updated: Oct 14, 2025 10:52 AM EST
Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, has unveiled a fully autonomous version of its iconic Black Hawk helicopter, converting a UH-60L into what it calls the S-70UAS U-Hawk, an uncrewed, multi-mission aircraft built in less than a year.
The U-Hawk prototype, revealed at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) exposition on October 13, marks a major step toward transforming one of the US military’s most proven utility helicopters into a next-generation unmanned system.
According to Sikorsky, the company replaced the UH-60L’s cockpit with actuated clamshell doors and a rear ramp, allowing roll-on and roll-off cargo operations.
The aircraft’s traditional mechanical flight controls were swapped for a third-generation, low-cost fly-by-wire system powered by MATRIX autonomy technology, the same system tested in earlier optionally piloted Black Hawk demonstrations.
Sikorsky said the aircraft has 25 percent more cargo space than the standard Black Hawk and can operate without a crew on board.
“The company is innovating a 21st-century solution by converting UH-60L Black Hawks into a fully autonomous utility platform,” said Rich Benton, Sikorsky’s vice president and general manager.
“We developed this prototype from concept to reality in under a year, and the modifications can be replicated at scale quickly and affordably.
The U-Hawk continues the Black Hawk legacy as the world’s premier utility aircraft, opening the door to new capabilities as a UAS.”
Expanded mission capabilities
The U-Hawk has a new fuselage design that increases usable cabin space by 25% compared to the standard UH-60L Black Hawk. This change allows for greater flexibility in its operations by removing the cockpit and crew systems.
A larger cabin now allows the aircraft to transport oversized or long cargo, including missile pods and uncrewed ground vehicles, with the help of its new clamshell doors and loading ramp.
According to Sikorsky, the U-Hawk can accommodate up to four Joint Modular Intermodal Containers, double the capacity of the legacy Black Hawk.
It can also carry specialized payloads such as a six-rocket HIMARS pod or two Naval Strike Missiles, enabling new strike and resupply missions that previously required dedicated aircraft.
The expanded interior can be configured to roll drones or robotic vehicles directly on and off the aircraft, supporting seamless integration with ground-based autonomous systems such as the HDT Hunter Wolf 6×6 uncrewed vehicle.
Added space can also be used for internal fuel tanks, extending the helicopter’s endurance and range for long-duration missions.
Sikorsky said the U-Hawk could self-deploy across more than 1,600 nautical miles (1,840 miles) or loiter for up to 14 hours without refueling, a major leap for utility-class unmanned rotorcraft.
The U-Hawk can lift 9,000 pounds using its cargo hook, making it suitable for Black Hawk missions like sling-load transport and tactical resupply.
These changes make the U-Hawk a flexible tool for logistics, strike, and reconnaissance operations.
Sikorsky combines the strength of the Black Hawk with MATRIX flight technology to develop a utility aircraft that can fly autonomously in risky areas. This approach helps lower costs, reduces the need for crew, and simplifies operations.
Fully autonomous operations
Instead of pilots, U-Hawk missions are commanded by operators using a tablet interface that controls the aircraft from start-up to shutdown.
At the press of a button, the U-Hawk automatically opens its doors and lowers its ramp for loading. Once cargo is secured, the system reverses the sequence to prepare for flight.
Operators input mission goals on the tablet, and the MATRIX autonomy software generates and executes a flight plan, using onboard sensors and algorithms to navigate safely and avoid obstacles.
“The U-Hawk offers a cost-effective utility UAS by leveraging commonality with the existing UH-60 fleet,” said Igor Cherepinsky, director of Sikorsky Innovations.
“Its uncrewed nature reduces both operating and maintenance costs. We focused on efficiencies in retrofitting—designing and manufacturing new flight computers, actuators, and airframe modifications that will carry over into our future UAS family.”
U-Hawk program is led by Sikorsky Innovations, the company’s rapid prototyping arm. Sikorsky said the first flight of the fully autonomous U-Hawk is expected in 2026. It represents a broader Lockheed Martin effort to blend autonomy and crewed aviation.
The company has previously demonstrated that it optionally piloted Black Hawks under DARPA’s ALIAS program, where the helicopter flew and landed autonomously with no crew on board.
https://interestingengineering.com/military/black-hawk-into-pilotless-cargo-drone