The US Army has engaged Near Earth Autonomy to spearhead a programme valued at $15m with the objective of advancing and deploying an optionally piloted system for logistical operations in challenging environments.
This initiative involves retrofitting UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters with advanced autonomy kits and is financed by the Army Program Executive Office, Aviation (PEO Aviation).
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The project is a joint effort between Near Earth and Honeywell, aimed at converting existing aircraft into autonomous logistics vehicles capable of high-frequency operations.
Central to this initiative is a modular retrofit kit that will facilitate continuous autonomous operations around the clock, eliminating the necessity for onboard personnel, remote control pilots, or persistent data connections, according to Near Earth. This approach significantly reduces risks to human operators while enhancing operational pace and logistical capacity.
This endeavour lays the groundwork for a standardised and expandable method to retrofit various rotary-wing platforms, enabling the US Army to bypass lengthy procurement processes and leverage new functionalities from existing aircraft fleets.
Although the UH-60L helicopter is the initial focus, the system’s design allows for flexibility across different aircraft types.
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By GlobalDataNear Earth CEO Sanjiv Singh said: “This programme is a significant step forward for Army logistics and autonomy.
“We’re proud to bring our proven helicopter autonomy experience to bear and excited to see it operationalised at scale to support soldiers in the field.”
Near Earth’s deterministic autonomy system, known as Captain, plays a pivotal role in this programme. Designed to ensure mission reliability in challenging and compromised settings, Captain facilitates safe navigation and obstacle avoidance without reliance on an onboard crew, remote pilot guidance, or constant communication links.
This feature proves essential in scenarios where GPS signals and communications are disrupted. The development of this programme adheres to a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) which promotes modularity, cost-effectiveness, and streamlined future upgrades and maintenance.
In partnership with Near Earth, Honeywell is contributing its expertise to create an autonomy solution that promises affordability as well as scalability and certification readiness for forthcoming missions.
Honeywell Aerospace Technologies Defense & Space president Matt Milas said: “Our avionics provides a modular, certifiable foundation that aligns with both today’s operational tempo and tomorrow’s autonomy goals.
“Whether for piloted, optionally piloted, or fully autonomous aircraft, our systems scale to meet evolving military needs with a certifiable foundation.”
The US Army intends to collaborate with Near Earth in formulating new operational protocols for autonomous logistics by executing a sequence of uncrewed flights.
These trials aim to refine the product into a fully operational state for unmanned aerial logistics applications—enhancing the Army’s capabilities in contested and intricate environments through increased velocity, scale, and security.
Recently, Collins Aerospace secured a $80m contract for upgrading the avionics of US Army Black Hawk helicopters through the H-60M MOSA Avionics Architecture Solution programme.
