Articles tagged with "autonomous-aircraft"
China’s YH-1000S autonomous cargo aircraft completes first flight
China’s YH-1000S, a hybrid autonomous cargo aircraft developed by the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics (CAAA), completed its first flight in Chongqing Municipality. This new iteration targets global markets and builds on the home-market YH-1000, which first flew in May 2025. Both models are capable of extremely short takeoffs and landings, enabling cargo deployment in remote or difficult-to-access areas. The YH-1000S features a high-power hybrid propulsion system that reduces runway requirements, allowing it to operate from secondary roads, dirt runways, grassy fields, and with optional float or ski kits, even water and snowy terrain. It has a range of 1,500 kilometers and can carry up to 1,200 kg of cargo, with flexible loading and unloading options. Designed for medium-altitude unmanned logistics, the YH-1000 series supports international logistics, disaster response, ocean monitoring, maritime supervision, and weather modification. The project
robotautonomous-aircrafthybrid-propulsionunmanned-cargo-dronelogistics-technologyaerospace-innovationdrone-deliveryUS: 2 destroyers to be powered by GE Aerospace's gas turbine engines
GE Aerospace has secured a contract to supply eight LM2500 gas turbine engines for two upcoming US Navy Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, USS Intrepid and USS Robert Kerrey. Each destroyer will be powered by four LM2500 engines, continuing the engine’s decades-long role as the primary propulsion system for this class, which currently includes 74 active ships. The LM2500 family is renowned for its high power density, fuel efficiency, and reliability, with over 700 units delivered to the US Navy since 1969. Continuous upgrades have maintained its performance and compatibility, achieving reliability rates near 99%, making it a cornerstone of the Navy’s surface fleet. In addition to naval propulsion, GE Aerospace recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Shield AI to power the autonomous VTOL fighter aircraft X-BAT using the F110-GE-129 engine. This combat-proven engine, with over 11 million flight hours since the 1980s, features an Axisymmetric Vectoring
energygas-turbine-enginesnaval-propulsionGE-Aerospacemilitary-technologyautonomous-aircraftVTOLIn a first, US F-22 pilot commands wingman drone at 50,000 feet
The US Air Force, alongside General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Lockheed Martin, and L3Harris Technologies, successfully completed a groundbreaking flight test on October 21 at the Nevada Test and Training Range, marking the first time an F-22 Raptor pilot commanded an MQ-20 Avenger unmanned jet at 50,000 feet. This demonstration linked the crewed F-22 with the uncrewed MQ-20 through secure, government-owned datalinks using L3Harris’ BANSHEE tactical datalinks and Lockheed Martin’s open radio architecture. The pilot utilized a tablet-based interface and the F-22’s GRACE mission module to issue commands and receive real-time data, showcasing a major advancement toward open-architecture autonomy and crewed-uncrewed teaming in future air combat. The MQ-20 Avenger, developed by General Atomics since 2009, is a high-speed, low-observable jet designed for contested airspace with a
robotautonomous-aircraftunmanned-aerial-vehiclemilitary-dronecrewed-uncrewed-teamingopen-architecture-autonomytactical-datalinksAnduril choses Archer's electric powertrain for new military drone
Anduril has selected Archer Aviation’s proprietary electric powertrain to power its new Omen military drone, marking the first time Archer is supplying its technology to an external customer. The Omen, a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) tail sitter drone developed jointly by Anduril and EDGE in the UAE, aims to offer enhanced range, speed, and payload capacity for missions including surveillance, logistics resupply, maritime monitoring, and humanitarian relief. The partnership follows nearly a year of close engineering collaboration and reflects Archer’s strategy to expand its powertrain business beyond its own Midnight eVTOL air taxi, especially as certification for passenger air taxis progresses slowly. The Omen program is advancing toward full-scale production in the UAE by the end of 2028, backed by an initial UAE contract for 50 units. The electric powertrain, produced in the U.S., features a proprietary battery pack and electric engine designed for both commercial and defense applications, with safety and scalability enhanced by the use of
energyelectric-powertrainmilitary-droneautonomous-aircraftUAVelectric-propulsiondefense-technologyOmen hybrid VTOL aircraft offers vertical lift and long mission range
The Anduril Omen is a new hybrid VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) tailsitter aircraft developed in partnership with EDGE, designed to combine vertical lift capability with long-range endurance and heavier payload capacity. Positioned at the upper end of the Group 3 unmanned aircraft category, Omen aims to perform missions typically assigned to larger, crewed platforms, including maritime surveillance, logistics resupply, air-defense sensing, and communications relay. The aircraft features a tailsitter design with sail-plane wings, canards, and twin-boom nacelles, enabling it to transition from vertical lift to efficient forward flight. Its hybrid power system, developed in collaboration with Archer Aviation, overcame earlier propulsion limitations and provides excess power to support demanding electronic payloads. Omen is built for rapid field deployment and multi-mission use, with a foldable frame that can be carried, assembled, and launched by a two-person team within minutes without requiring a runway. It operates on Anduril’s Lattice autonomy
robotautonomous-aircrafthybrid-VTOLenergy-efficiencyaerial-surveillancemission-autonomyunmanned-systemsUS Navy’s 90-day solar drone could beam 5G to troops in denied zones
The US Navy has contracted Skydweller Aero, in partnership with Nokia Federal Solutions, to develop a solar-powered drone capable of remaining airborne for 90 days to serve as a high-altitude communications hub. This drone will host a “Beyond 5G” Network-in-a-Box system designed to provide secure, resilient 5G connectivity and tactical data coverage in contested or infrastructure-limited environments. The initiative supports the Navy’s Distributed Maritime Operations strategy by enabling widely dispersed forces to maintain connectivity across large ocean areas and aligns with the Department of Defense’s Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) goals to integrate sensors, shooters, and command centers across military domains. Skydweller’s drone, constructed from lightweight carbon fiber with a wingspan comparable to a Boeing 747, can carry up to 800 pounds of payload, including advanced communications and sensor equipment. Powered entirely by solar energy, it can sustain flight for 30 to 90 days or longer, offering a
solar-energydrone-technology5G-connectivityautonomous-aircraftmilitary-communicationsIoT-networkscarbon-fiber-materialsLockheed’s new drone can take off like helicopter, cruise like jet
Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky division has introduced the Nomad family of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drones, featuring a twin-proprotor design that combines helicopter-like vertical agility with the speed and range of fixed-wing aircraft. This scalable drone series can be tailored from small Group 3 UAS to sizes comparable to a Black Hawk helicopter, enabling runway-independent operations for diverse missions including reconnaissance, light attack, contested logistics, and humanitarian aid. The Nomad drones are designed to operate alongside crewed aircraft to enhance situational awareness, logistics, and strike capabilities, particularly in challenging environments like the Indo-Pacific region. The Nomad family incorporates Sikorsky’s MATRIX autonomy technology, developed with DARPA, which enables autonomous route planning, obstacle avoidance, and mission execution. The initial Nomad 50 prototype, with a 10.3-foot wingspan, demonstrated strong aerodynamic performance and vertical lift in 2025 flight tests, and a larger Nomad 100 variant is expected to
robotdroneautonomous-aircraftVTOLhybrid-electricaerospace-technologymilitary-technologyUS Air Force invests $17.4M to test fully autonomous aircraft program
The U.S. Air Force has invested $17.4 million in Reliable Robotics to test its Reliable Autonomy System (RAS), a fully autonomous aircraft system designed to automate all phases of flight—including taxi, takeoff, en route navigation, and landing—on a Cessna 208B aircraft. This system aims to integrate large uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) safely into both civil and military airspaces by employing multiple layers of redundancy and advanced navigation technologies to enhance safety and reliability. The initiative supports the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept by enabling rapid, secure logistics across dispersed locations, thereby expanding operational flexibility and reducing risk. Reliable Robotics, a California-based company focused on FAA-certifiable autonomy for commercial and defense aviation, has been collaborating with the Air Force on various contracts involving the Cessna 208B Caravan and KC-135 Stratotanker. The company is also contributing to the development of the Air Force’s Autonomy Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA
robotautonomous-aircraftmilitary-aviationuncrewed-aircraft-systemsReliable-Autonomy-SystemUAS-integrationaviation-technologyU.S. Air Force taps Reliable Robotics for autonomous Aircraft
Reliable Robotics has secured a $17.4 million contract with the U.S. Air Force to supply its Reliable Autonomy System (RAS) for integration and testing on a Cessna 208B aircraft. This FAA-certifiable autonomous technology automates all phases of flight—taxi, takeoff, en route, and landing—and is designed to enhance safety, flexibility, and operational efficiency. The system is aircraft agnostic, incorporating multiple redundancies and advanced navigation to meet the stringent reliability and safety standards required for uncrewed flight. The Air Force aims to leverage this technology to support Agile Combat Employment (ACE) by enabling rapid and secure logistics across dispersed locations, effectively acting as a force multiplier. This contract builds on Reliable Robotics’ ongoing collaboration with the Air Force, including prior work on the Cessna 208B Caravan and KC-135 Stratotanker, as well as contributions to the Autonomy Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA), a multi-platform autonomy framework. Founded in
roboticsautonomous-aircraftmilitary-technologyuncrewed-aircraft-systemsaviation-automationU.S.-Air-ForceReliable-RoboticsJoby Aviation and defense contractor L3Harris to test autonomous hybrid aircraft
Joby Aviation, known for developing commercial electric air taxis, is expanding its focus through a partnership with defense contractor L3Harris Technologies to develop an autonomous gas-turbine hybrid vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft for military applications. This new aircraft will be based on Joby’s existing S4 platform, which has traditionally featured an all-electric powertrain. However, under a government contract, Joby demonstrated a hybrid prototype capable of flying 521 miles—more than twice the range of its battery-electric version. The collaboration aims to leverage L3Harris’s expertise in defense technologies to integrate sensors, autonomy, communications, and payloads, creating a mission-capable aircraft suited for Department of Defense (DoD) needs. Flight testing of the hybrid VTOL is scheduled to begin in the fall, with operational demonstrations planned for 2026. Joby has been working with the DoD for nearly a decade, focusing on meeting critical requirements such as extended range and mission flexibility.
robotautonomous-aircrafthybrid-VTOLelectric-aviationdefense-technologyunmanned-systemsaerospace-materialsJoby Aviation doubles pilot eVTOL facility capacity as it races toward air taxi launch
Joby Aviation has significantly expanded its pilot manufacturing facility in Marina, California, doubling its size to 435,500 square feet to accelerate the commercialization of its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The upgraded facility is expected to produce 24 aircraft annually, or nearly one every other week when fully operational, and will also support federal certification processes, ground and flight testing, pilot training, and aircraft maintenance. This expansion is part of Joby’s broader production strategy, which includes a larger facility under construction in Dayton, Ohio, designed to produce up to 500 aircraft per year, with engineering support from Toyota, a strategic investor. In addition to the facility expansion, Joby has added a sixth aircraft to its fleet, which quickly earned airworthiness certification shortly after completion. The company, which went public in 2021, aims to launch commercial air taxi services first in Dubai by early 2026, followed by a U.S. market rollout. Toyota has also recently invested
robotelectric-vertical-takeoff-and-landingeVTOLaviation-technologypilot-manufacturingair-taxiautonomous-aircraft