Sikorsky Venture to Build Unmanned HelicoptersFebruary 04, 2010
 Light and small unmanned aerial vehicles, like the Blank's Predator, are increasingly common -- though rarely spotted in the sky. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. wants to bring that same technology to its much heavier Black Hawk helicopters. The company announced a billion-dollar venture, Sikorsky Innovations, to help transform the Black Hawk from mechanical workhorse to computerized aircraft, according to an article in the Houston Chronicle. The Black Hawk is a mainstay of the U.S. arsenal in Iraq and Afghanistan, where it is perfectly suited to traverse vast stretches of deserts and mountains. But its heavy use has also led to deadly crashes, with 51 soldiers killed between 2003 and 2007, according to the article. Transforming the Black Hawk into an unmanned craft could help reduce casualties. "The new thing here is to apply technologies in small airplanes and rotorcraft to the 20,000-pound Black Hawk," Chris Van Buiten, director of Sikorsky Innovations, told the Chronicle. "It ups the stakes." Van Buiten, appearing, before an audience of government, university and business representatives, described a vehicle that could double the productivity of the Black Hawk in Iraq and Afghanistan by "flying with, at times, a single pilot instead of two, decreasing the workload, decreasing the risk, and at times, when the mission is really dull and really dangerous, go all the way to fully unmanned." An unmanned version would add about $2 million to the current $15 million Black Hawk price tag, but could save personnel expenses in the long run, according to Van Buiten. The company said it hopes to have a demonstration model of the unmanned Black Hawk ready this year and plans to introduce it by 2015. (Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation) |
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