Sikorsky's Optional Piloted Black Hawk Helo Makes Maiden Flight

Optionally Piloted Black Hawk being controlled from GCS Sikorsky's Optionally Piloted Black Hawk (OPBH) helicopter Demonstrator, know...

Optionally Piloted Black Hawk being controlled from GCS

Sikorsky's Optionally Piloted Black Hawk (OPBH) helicopter Demonstrator, known as Manned/Unmanned Resupply Aerial Lifter (MURAL) Program, conducted its maiden demonstration flight successfully on March 11 at Sikorsky’s Development Flight Center in Florida.

The optionally piloted Black Hawk is being developed by Sikorsky in cooperation with U.S. Army Aviation Development Directorate (ADD), the U.S. Army Utility Helicopters Project Office (UH PO), to provide autonomous cargo delivery capability to U.S. Army.

The OPBH will provide commanders with the flexibility to determine crewed or un-crewed operations, increasing sorties while maintaining crew rest requirements. This allows the crew to focus on the more ‘sensitive’ operations, and leaves the critical resupply missions for autonomous operations without increasing fleet size or mix.
The OPBH demonstrated autonomous hover and flight operations while under the control of a man-portable Ground Control Station, demonstrating the capability for expeditionary operations and critical cargo resupply.
The UH PO is providing the two UH-60MU Black Hawk helicopters for modification.