Airbus unveils AI-powered autonomous helicopter
Airbus has unveiled its new autonomous helicopter (photo: airbus.com)
Airbus Helicopters is preparing the U145 unmanned helicopter. The new aircraft will make its debut at the ILA Berlin air show, where the company will present a full-scale mock-up of the model, according to the company's press service.
It is noted that the U145 complements Airbus' portfolio of helicopters and unmanned aerial systems. The first flight with a test pilot on board is scheduled for the end of 2026, while entry into service is planned for the beginning of the next decade.
"With the U145, we are offering our customers an autonomous, uncrewed version of our H145 helicopter - combining the proven airframe, power and useful load of the H145 with the autonomy of a UAS," said Matthieu Louvot, CEO of Airbus Helicopters.
Thus, the H145 is the second helicopter that Airbus has converted into an unmanned version after the VSR700, which is derived from the Cabri G2. The U145 will be equipped with a specialized sensor suite and artificial intelligence for full autonomy. Compared to the piloted H145 helicopter, the U145 will not have a physical pilot cockpit and will therefore feature integrated nose doors and a dedicated cargo floor.
Its modular design allows the helicopter to be used for firefighting, reconnaissance, monitoring of unmanned vessels, and other missions.
Recently, a US AH-64 Apache attack helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz. This was the first loss of this type of aircraft since the start of the conflict with Iran.
