US Army Receives First Self-Flying Black Hawk Helicopter from DARPA's ALIAS Program

The US Army has taken delivery of the first autonomous Black Hawk helicopter — a full-sized optionally piloted vehicle (OPV) developed over more than a decade under DARPA's ALIAS program, capable of flying complete missions without human intervention.

The Aircraft

• Model: Black Hawk H-60Mx (Optionally Piloted Vehicle)
• System: Sikorsky's MATRIX autonomy platform
• Location: Delivered to Fort Eustis, Virginia
• Development: 10+ years under DARPA's ALIAS program

MATRIX Capabilities

• Execute pre-planned autonomous missions
• Take commands from ground-based team via tablet
• Handle entire missions from pre-flight checks to autonomous landing
• Respond to simulated system failures
• Has been flown without any humans onboard since 2022

Recent Testing

November 2025, Camp Grayling, Michigan:

• 70-nautical-mile cargo resupply mission
• Precision parachute drops
• Equipment sling loading
• Medical evacuation trials
• Human pilots on board for safety only — no intervention needed

What's Next

• DARPA handing over MATRIX software development kit
• Army will integrate mission-specific sensors and equipment
• Program seeking scalable autonomy kit for entire Black Hawk fleet
• Will inform future aircraft designs

Context

DARPA has been pursuing autonomous military aviation for years, including the Cylon Raider autonomous fighter jet program and even a robot that landed a 737 by hand.

Source: The Register