Black Hawk piloted remotely by US Defense Secretery in DARPA's test

The U.S. Department of Defense released a video on November 14, 2025, showing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth remotely piloting a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter via a touchscreen interface. This demonstration took place at DARPA headquarters and highlights advances in autonomous and remotely operated military aviation. The Black Hawk was equipped with the Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS), developed by DARPA and Sikorsky (a Lockheed Martin subsidiary), which integrates fly-by-wire controls, sensor fusion, machine learning, and automated mission planning to enable helicopters to fly with reduced or no onboard crew. The ALIAS program began in 2022 with fully autonomous flights of the UH-60A, and has since evolved to support remote human control through simplified operator interfaces. This milestone marks a significant step toward safer helicopter operations in contested or high-risk environments, where traditional crewed flights face increasing threats from advanced air defenses and electronic warfare. Remote operation allows pilots to control missions from