Sikorsky Collaborates with Robinson Helicopter Firm to Combine MATRIX™ Autonomy into Robinson R66 TURBINETRUCK – sUAS Information

Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin firm (NYSE:LMT), and Robinson Helicopter Firm (RHC) unveiled the R66 TURBINETRUCK, a game-changing autonomous cargo helicopter that mixes Sikorsky’s confirmed MATRIX™ autonomy system with Robinson Unmanned’s new cargo UAS helicopter. Developed via a collaborative settlement, the R66 TURBINETRUCK is a versatile, autonomous platform that may be configured for a variety of utility missions, together with cargo supply and resupply, tailor-made to civil and navy operators.

The R66 TURBINETRUCK is the twenty first plane enabled by the MATRIX system and can leverage related options from Sikorsky’s new absolutely autonomous S-70UAS™ U-Hawk™. MATRIX has been validated on plane starting from small drones to strategic airlift cargo planes, delivering greater than 1,000 flight hours of operational knowledge.

Government Views

“With each new platform we welcome into the MATRIX household, we widen the community of uncrewed techniques to serve a wide range of civil and navy missions. We view the U-Hawk and R66 TURBINETRUCK as complementary bookends that meet rising buyer wants throughout protection and business segments, delivering seamless functionality wherever the mission calls for,” mentioned Wealthy Benton, vice chairman and common supervisor of Sikorsky. “Sikorsky’s MATRIX autonomy suite is quickly changing into the {industry} normal for secure, dependable and repeatable autonomy for these missions.”

“This collaboration with Sikorsky permits us to increase the attain of the R66 into new mission-sets, whereas reinforcing our long-term dedication to constructing scalable, built-in unmanned techniques,” mentioned David Smith, president and CEO of Robinson Helicopter Firm. “We’ve taken years of flight-proven maturity and collectively we’ve optimized it for the way forward for autonomy. The R66 TURBINETRUCK gives an reasonably priced and attritable customized cargo structure designed for one factor: getting vital belongings into the sphere autonomously and reliably.”

Why It Issues

The TURBINETRUCK is right for remote-site resupply, contested logistics and catastrophe aid.

• Function-Constructed for Any Mission: The TURBINETRUCK is designed for inner and exterior cargo operations in contested environments. With out the cockpit and crew stations, the plane incorporates a high-volume fuselage, cargo flooring and a nose-mounted clamshell door to facilitate fast loading of palletized freight.
• Speedy Reconfiguration: The TURBINETRUCK and MATRIX each supply a modular open structure method to supply prospects with flexibility to swap mission software program and extra.
• Business Airframe: Constructed on a confirmed, cost-effective airframe, the TURBINETRUCK gives a low acquisition price and simply replaceable elements, decreasing whole possession price and threat for each civil and protection operators.
• MATRIX Autonomy Integration: Sikorsky will combine its industry-leading MATRIX suite, delivering dependable, repeatable autonomous capabilities that simplifies UAS operations whereas making certain mission effectiveness and system-level security. Just like the Sikorsky U-Hawk, as soon as loaded, an operator inputs mission objectives through the MATRIX pill. The MATRIX autonomy system robotically generates a flight plan, counting on cameras, sensors and algorithms to assist navigate the TURBINETRUCK safely to its vacation spot.

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