Sikorsky Develops Unmanned Version of Black Hawk Helicopter, U-Hawk, in Record Time

Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, has transformed the UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter into the S-70UAS U-Hawk drone in just 10 months.

Lockheed Martin announced this in a press release.

According to the company, the new UAV has a 25% larger cargo compartment than a typical Black Hawk, as the helicopter no longer needs a cockpit.

The developers replaced the cockpit with a bi-folding door and ramp and replaced traditional controls with an electric remote control system integrated with MATRIX autonomy technology.

According to the developers, in addition to cargo functions, the drone is also capable of launching a “swarm” of reconnaissance or attack drones.

“Sikorsky is offering a 21st century solution by transforming the UH-60L Black Hawk into a fully autonomous multi-role platform. We built this prototype – from concept to reality – in less than a year, and the modifications we made transform the manned Black Hawk into a multi-role payload UAV that can be scaled quickly and inexpensively,” said Rich Benton, Sikorsky Vice President and General Manager.

The redesign and structural modification of the UH-60L to the U-Hawk unmanned configuration is being led by Sikorsky Innovations’ Rapid Prototyping Group. The first flight is expected in 2026.

Like the UH-60L, the U-Hawk variant retains the ability to side-load and lift 4,080 kilograms of cargo using a cargo hook. The drone has a range of 1,600 nautical miles and a flight duration of up to 14 hours without refueling.

The tablet gives the operator full control over the U-Hawk – from startup to shutdown. After loading the drone, the operator enters mission objectives via the tablet, and the MATRIX autonomy system automatically generates a flight plan using cameras, sensors, and algorithms to safely navigate the U-Hawk to its destination.

In late August, Sikorsky signed a contract with the U.S. Army to upgrade Black Hawk helicopters to launch drones.

According to the plan, Sikorsky will modernize the helicopters by improving flight control systems and introducing new digital technologies that will ensure rapid integration of unmanned vehicles into the weapon system.

According to the manufacturer, due to the digitalization of the Black Hawk, the integration of new weapons will be much faster, and the first helicopters will be tested in 2026.