A pilotless version of the world-famous Black Hawk helicopter is in development, and is almost ready to start doing battle. It’s being made by defence contractor Sikorsky to help the US military reduce its troop numbers and costs.
The lack of a pilot has obvious benefits. Not only will it reduce casualties, it’ll also save troops from having to go on tedious resupply missions when they could be better used elsewhere.
“The ability for the pilot to leave the cockpit for potentially dull and dangerous missions significantly reduces crew limitations and increases Black Hawk flight operations,” maker Sikorsky said in a statement.
But that doesn’t mean it would be without a pilot at all times. Rather, the pilot could take control for more complex missions.
The technology has been in development since 2007. The helicopter could be deployed as early as next year.
“Imagine a vehicle that can double the productivity of the Black Hawk in Iraq and Afghanistan by flying with, at times, a single pilot instead of two, decreasing the workload, decreasing the risk, and at times when the mission is really dull and really dangerous, go it all the way to fully unmanned,” Chris van Buten, Sikorsky’s innovation vice president, said in a statement.
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