Airbus Demonstrates MQ-72C Cargo Helicopter Drone for U.S. Army
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- TheWarZone
Airbus recently showcased its MQ-72C drone helicopter to the U.S. Army, highlighting its capabilities in autonomous flight. This drone, developed for a U.S. Marine Corps competition, is seen as essential for future logistics operations. The demonstration included five flights at Huntsville Executive Airport, focusing on complex hovering patterns and autonomous navigation around no-fly zones.
The MQ-72C's significance lies in its potential to support long-range air assaults and logistics for the Army, which currently operates crewed UH-72s in non-combat roles. The drone's development is a collaboration with L3Harris Technologies, Shield AI, and Parry Labs, aiming to transition to fully uncrewed operations. The use of advanced sensors and autonomy software like HiveMind enhances its navigation and decision-making capabilities.
Looking ahead, Airbus is working on establishing ground control systems for the MQ-72C, allowing it to be commanded from significant distances. As the Army explores uncrewed logistics solutions, the MQ-72C could play a pivotal role in future operations. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.
Original report
MQ-72C Cargo Helicopter Drone Capabilities Demonstrated For U.S. Army
TheWarZone · Joseph TrevithickThis briefing is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting and is provided for industry information and news discovery. The original report and source publication are credited and linked where applicable. RobotToday does not claim ownership of third-party source material.
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