Helicopter-maker Sikorsky to build pilotless Black Hawk

The helicopter-maker Sikorsky is to build a pilotless Black Hawk aircraft that can see and fly on its own.

Sikorsky intends to introduce the unmanned Black Hawk Helicopters by 2015

By Alex Spillius in Washington
www.telegraph.co.uk
02 Feb 2010

After the unmanned drone, the craft could be the next great aerial innovation for the US armed forces.

Sikorsky has announced a $1 billion venture it hopes will respond to military demand, which includes the Black Hawk helicopters.

The military workhorse, made famous by the book and film after two were shot down in Somalia in 1993, is heavily relied on over the long stretches of mountain and desert in Afghanistan.

The new version of the helicopter would allow it to fly with two, one or even no pilots, increasing the number of journeys it could undertake and reducing the risk to US personnel.

It could be used both “when the mission is really dull or really dangerous”, said Chris Van Buiten, director of Sikorsky Innovations.

The greatest challenge – apart perhaps from calming the nerves of passengers flying without a human at the controls – is transferring technologies currently used in Predator drones to Black Hawks that are 20 times heavier. Read more…

Related posts:

1. Israel offers pilotless aircraft to Czech military praguemonitor.com Prague, Oct 13 (CTK) – Israel is offering pilotless...
2. Police launch ‘Flying Saucer’ CCTV camera www.telegraph.co.uk Police used a remote-controlled “flying saucer” to monitor the...
3. Taliban spokesman claims US chopper downing www.thedailystar.net A purported Taliban spokesman claimed on Monday that they...
4. US Government Calls For Unmanned Drones To Patrol American Skies Joan Lowy / Associated Press (AP) via Chicago Tribune –...
5. ‘Hijacked’ Russian helicopter in Sudan returns to base, crew safe – aviation company MOSCOW, July 27 RIA Novosti A Russian helicopter allegedly hijacked...
6. Helicopters ‘just training’ www.donegaldemocrat.ie 25 March 2010 An Army Commandant moved yesterday to...
7. Man Arrested for Shining Flashlight at Apache Helicopter Hovering Over His House news.bbc.co.uk A man who was arrested after he shone a...
8. Helicopter’s heat-seeking device finds missing man www.independent.ie AN elderly man who went missing from his home...
9. Special Ops robots now do psychological warfare By Lewis Page www.theregister.co.uk US arms globocorp Boeing has announced...
10. Throwable robot and remote-controlled mini-helicopter unveiled as latest battlefield surveillance technology www.dailymail.co.uk Soldiers on the battlefield could soon benefit from new...