Sikorsky successfully tests autonomous helicopter flight for DARPA

Sikorsky’s S-76 commercial helicopter, a version of which was used in the recent autonomous test flight. Photo courtesy of Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company

Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company based in Stratford, has successfully completed a 30-mile autonomous flight Â demonstration, the firstÂ phase ofÂ itsÂ Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) program for theÂ Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

The test flight was controlled by an in-cockpit operator using a a tablet device. Following a few commands issued by the operator through the tablet, the S-76 commercial helicopter was able to take off from Sikrosky’s StratfordÂ facility and fly to and land itself at Robertson Airport in Plainville.

A video of the test flight is available here.

According to Sikorsky, the objective of DARPA”™s ALIAS program is to develop and integrateÂ new levels of automation into existing military and commercial aircraft to enable those aircraft to operate with reduced on board crew.

The test flight was an $8 million first phase and will be followed by a $9.8 million second phase which will includeÂ additional flight tests, enhancements to the human interface and use of the technology onÂ additional aircraft.

“The current environment limits the creation of new, optionally piloted platforms,” according to a press statement byÂ Chris Van Buiten, vice president of Sikorsky Innovations. “What Sikorsky and DARPA are demonstrating is the successful and affordable integration of advanced technology onto existing legacy aircraft to not only set the stage for autonomous operations down the road, but also to immediately improve aircraft performance, reduce maintenance costs, and increase crew and passenger safety.”