Sikorsky turned the Black Hawk into a massive drone

Last month, Sikorsky unveiled the U-Hawk concept, a complete unmanned Black Hawk that can be operated with nothing but a tablet. But that’s not the only drone move the legacy aviation company is working on.

Developed from concept to prototype in just 10 months, the U-Hawk is designed to be a cheaper, more versatile, and more capable version of the UH-60L Black Hawk, one of the most iconic helicopters ever designed.

The U-Hawk features no cockpit and has most of its internal components removed to make space for a 25% larger cargo bay. The front of the U-Hawk no longer has windows to see out of, but a clamshell door and ramp for easy cargo loading and unloading.

Overall, the U-Hawk will be able to transport larger pieces of cargo, like missiles or uncrewed ground vehicles, loiter for up to 14 hours without the need to refuel, and operate at a reduced cost.

To control the U-Hawk, all an operator would need is a tablet connected to the aircraft that could control loading and unloading cargo, planning flight details, and commanding the U-Hawk to take off and land. Video by Sikorsky even shows troops being carried inside the U-Hawk, with one team member using the tablet to track the aircraft’s flight.

Converting its helicopters to drones isn’t the only way Sikorsky is working on getting its skin in the game of modern warfare. The company also showcased its Nomad family of VTOL UAVs that could range from as small as vehicle-deployed drones all the way up to drones the size of a U-Hawk.

Primarily designed for recon, the Nomads will also be capable of light attack capabilities.

Both the U-Hawk and Nomad are in the early stages of development, but I really do hope they bring this to Oshkosh next year just so I can see the weirdest-looking Black Hawk ever made.