Author Topic: US Army Testing Pilotless Black Hawk Helicopter  (Read 693 times)

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US Army Testing Pilotless Black Hawk Helicopter
« on: May 06, 2014, 02:54:03 pm »
http://connecticut.cbslocal.com/2014/05/05/us-army-testing-pilotless-black-hawk-helicopter/

US Army Testing Pilotless Black Hawk Helicopter
May 5, 2014 7:55 PM



CONNECTICUT (CBS Connecticut) – The U.S. Army is testing an unmanned Black Hawk helicopter that one day can deliver cargo and supplies to troops autonomously, according to LiveScience.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. built the helicopter, which completed its first test in March.

“The autonomous Black Hawk helicopter provides the commander with the flexibility to determine crewed or un-crewed operations, increasing sorties while maintaining crew rest requirements,” Mark Miller, vice president of research and engineering at Sikorsky, said in a statement to LiveScience. “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 helicopter is part of the company’s Manned/Unmanned Resupply Aerial Lifter, or MURAL, program which they have been working on since 2007. They were awarded funding from the Army last year in order to expand its research and development.

“These technologies are designed to enhance the capability, affordability, readiness, and safety of Department of Defense aviation systems, William Lewis, director of the U.S. Army Aviation Development Directorate, said in a statement. “The optionally piloted Black Hawk helicopter functionality stands to bring added value to aviation systems, through the innovations being tested on the Black hawk helicopter in the MURAL program.”
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Offline Dexter

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Re: US Army Testing Pilotless Black Hawk Helicopter
« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2014, 03:39:16 pm »
Skynet incoming.
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Re: US Army Testing Pilotless Black Hawk Helicopter
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2014, 05:41:27 pm »
Skynet incoming.

possibly, but they still have to network these craft together with a strategic decision-making machine before we really start getting there.

Offline EC

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Re: US Army Testing Pilotless Black Hawk Helicopter
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2014, 08:27:12 pm »
I don't like this. At all.

It's a commonly thrown about number - you need 10,000 hours of practice (or one hell of a need to get out right the bleep now) to become good at something.

Boring is good. Routine supply runs let you get to know her moods and her tempers. What she can do and what she won't stand for. Every chopper is different and the pilot has to fit to her - not the other way around. You pick up little habits in one that simply don't translate when you get shifted. Think of it like starting a new love affair.

Automating the boring shit is taking valuable flight time and is going to result in a far less capable cadre of gunship pilots.
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