Autonomy/AI/CCA

U.S. startup Skyryse has partnered with Robinson Helicopter to integrate its SkyOS automated flight control system into the R66 helo to develop a Collaborative Combat Aircraft.

Honeywell expands F124 engine production for CCAs and develops SkyShot 1600 prototype under Air Force contract.

South Korea has launched projects to develop a 4,500-lb. thrust-class high-bypass turbofan for collaborative combat aircraft and more-electric business jets.

In Africa’s game reserves, many wild animals are either overpopulating the limited area, or are declining due to habitat degradation or migration.

The U.S. Navy on April 25 conducted the much anticipated first flight of its Boeing MQ-25 Stingray uncrewed refueling aircraft, a major milestone in the service’s pursuit of bringing autonomous aircraft to its carriers.

Robinson has selected Rotor Technologies as the autonomy provider for its new line of remotely piloted R44s.

Transcendent Aerospace is reviving its very light jet as a cost-effective, optionally piloted drone interceptor, targeting interest from the Middle East and India.

Rotor Technologies is advancing toward scaled production of unmanned R44 aircraft by integrating its autonomy system into Robinson Helicopter’s assembly line.

In a $1.5 trillion U.S. defense spending proposal for fiscal 2027 filled with superlatives, arguably no organization made out better than the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group (DAWG).

Nuclear fusion rocket power; Matrix autonomy joins the Army; ship-to-shore contested logistics; and sulfur’s role in contrails formation.

CMC GNSS receivers deliver accuracy, integrity, continuity, and resilience—trusted for crewed and autonomous aircraft in complex environments.

Prior to the Iran war, the leading fear among investors had been how disruptive AI could be to many business sectors. But not in aerospace and defense.

Robinson Helicopter aims to extend its lineup of autonomous uncrewed vertical lift capabilities with Sikorsky following the unveiling of the TurbineTruck.

Listen in as editors reflect on program updates and other highlights from the AFA Warfare Symposium.

As the first U.S.-funded Collaborative Combat Aircraft prototypes enter weapons testing, new details are being released.

SHIELD AI expands Singapore partnership... LOCKHEED gets F-35 ALIS/ODIN award... AEROVIRONMENT studying swarming software for the U.S. Navy...

The Royal Moroccan Air Force is stepping up its helicopter capabilities after many years of stagnation.

Northrop Grumman will provide the autonomy software for the U.S. Marine Corps first loyal wingman uncrewed system.

The Cai Hong-7 stealthy uncrewed aerial system made by CASC has completed its maiden flight from an undisclosed airfield in northwest China.

The People’s Liberation Army Air Force has released footage of the Hongdu GJ-11 flying alongside crewed fighters, suggesting a growing level of manned-unmanned integration.

Apium Swarm Robotics, a developer of distributed autonomy for unmanned systems, has signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Red Cat Holdings.

The Republic of Korea Air Force plans to field aircraft piloted by artificial intelligence by the early 2030s to fly alongside KAI F-50 and KF-21 fighters.

The rising popularity of Collaborative Combat Aircraft has spread to the U.S. Army, which is now considering the reusable systems to augment crewed rotorcraft.

Korean Air's Aerospace Division is displaying the third prototype of its Low Observable Wingman UAV System (LOWUS) with first flight of the system penciled in for December.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has confirmed it has been selected to develop a conceptual design of Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the U.S. Navy.

The U.S. Navy has flown surrogates for future Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) with a version of Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy software.

The U.S. Marine Corps is looking for a new autonomous, vertical take off and landing system to supply austere locations.

Atropos Group unveils the Tacit Spear concept for an autonomous airlifter and a blueprint for delivering the large aircraft in a few years.

A series of teaser images suggest Shield AI's VTOL aircraft is a tailsitter with swept wings and an internal weapons bay large enough to carry two cruise missiles.

The People’s Liberation Army unveiled two previously unseen UCAVs and two CCAs during the Sept. 3 Victory Day parade in Beijing

Among the standouts of China's eVTOL landscape is Shanghai-based Vertaxi.

Airbus Defense and Shield AI recently conducted the first flight of an H145 helicopter powered by Hivemind artificial intelligence.

AERO Asia – sister show of AERO Friedrichshafen – themed “A New Era: Explore More”, to focus on topics such as autonomy, intelligence, and low-carbon solutions.

Hanwha Systems has rolled out the first mass-produced active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for the KAI KF-21 fighter.

KAI has revealed that a future variant of the KF-21 fighter will feature an internal weapons bay capable of housing a 2,000-lb. guided bomb.

On the cover of Aviation Week’s May 11-14, 2015, edition, the U.S. Navy's Northrop Grumman X-47B uncrewed combat aircraft demonstrator receives fuel from an Omega Boeing K-707 tanker, marking the first time an uncrewed aircraft had been autonomously refueled in flight.

The Edwards AFB test flight of Quarterhorse Mk.1 marks the first step on a path to follow-on high-speed test aircraft, including autonomous uncrewed products.

Leonardo is proposing that Japan participates in its Proteus autonomous rotorcraft program.

The second U.S. Air Force prototype of a Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) has moved into the ground testing phase.

The 24th edition of the Dubai Airport Show concluded yesterday after calling to effectively adopt and invest in new technologies and to ‘grab’ the opportunities offered by airport expansion projects in the region.

A newly released road map calls for Collaborative Combat Aircraft orders to begin this year, with new increments rolling out in roughly five-year intervals.

Dzyne Technologies says it has delivered multiple Grasshopper autonomous air-launched expendable cargo gliders to the U.S. Air Force.

The U.S. Air Force has begun ground testing its two Collaborative Combat Aircraft prototypes from Anduril and GA-ASI ahead of planned first flights this summer.

The European Union says it will invest in the local development of next-generation stealth materials and future dogfighting missile technology.

Jeff Massimilla, vice president of global engineering, design and technology from General Dynamics Land Systems, highlighted the growing importance of robotics and autonomous systems during the World Defence Industry 2024.

Chinese drive/fly eVTOL, logistic resupply autonomy, FAA’s AAM testing center and cryo-compressed hydrogen.

Near Earth Autonomy is to provide a miniaturized autonomy system to support the demonstration of autonomous resupply in contested environments.

MAYMAN AEROSPACE, CA completed test flight of its RAZOR P100 unmanned VTOL with SKYFIELD advanced AI-driven autonomous flight control system to enable aircraft to adapt to changing mission parameters and environmental factors.

Anduril Industries has secured the Republic of Singapore Air Force as its first international partner for the Lattice for Mission Autonomy software platform.

The company laid out a new proposal for CCA to Aviation Week.

For Hanwha, the investment in Shield AI signals its growing interest in the unmanned aerial systems segment.

The Boeing-made autonomous and maneuverable spaceplane was launched for its seventh mission on Dec. 28, 2023, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.

Korean Air Aerospace Division (KAL-ASD) has shared fresh details on its collaborative combat aircraft projects after unveiling a new prototype.

The Agency of Defense Development and Korean Air Aerospace Division have unveiled South Korea’s first CCA prototype, the Low Observable Wingman UAV System.

Day 4 of SHOW BUSINESS highlights a UAE-made unmanned ground vehicle from TAG Dynamics that is turning heads at IDEX, while elsewhere the rise of manned-unmanned air operations between drones and next-generation fighters comes under the spotlight.

Manned-Unmanned (M-UM) operations is an aspiration for increasing numbers of air forces.

One particularly promising solution to battling wildfires like those in Los Angeles is the use of aerial firefighting with uncrewed helicopters.

Vertiport developer, Skyports, is collaborating with LODD, a UAE-based company specialising in AI-powered drone technology and autonomous aerial logistics, to unveil designs for a vertiport network in Abu Dhabi.

The seventh edition of the Marrakech Air Show, held at at Marrakech Royal Moroccan Air Force Base from October 30th to November 2nd, surpassed its promises. The event, which showcased civil, military, defence and space industries, was punctuated by strategic agreements and…

Baykar’s products have proven popular among African forces, with the workhorse TB2 expected to lead all other platforms in regional sales by 2035

Spain’s Satnus joint venture, established to develop autonomous remote carrier technologies for the European FCAS, has completed its first flight test campaign.

The release of the 2025 Marine Corps Aviation Plan clarifies the intent of a two-year-old experimental campaign involving the Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie.

Artificial intelligence shows great promise, but safety and ethical considerations are a major challenge in aerospace.

KRW40 billion ($27.8 million) was invested in the facility and the designing of the center in 2022.

A four-year-old concept to adapt uncrewed aircraft to role-play as adversaries during training missions is back in development after a two-year hiatus.

The bevy of AAM news from Zhuhai Airshow is the clearest signal yet of the seriousness with which Beijing is proceeding in its push to create a nationwide low-altitude economy.

China has showcased its progression in unmanned combat aerial system technology and innovation, displaying the CH-9 and Wing Loong-X for the first time at Zhuhai Airshow.

The interceptor needs to be an autonomous aircraft launched from an air vehicle with a “hard kill system” effective against the small drones.

A GA-ASI spokesman defended the company’s Increment 1 prototype, but did not criticize the remarks directly.

A mock-up shows the Airbus plan to convert the cockpit of the UH-72 into an extension of the main cabin for carrying cargo.

Left out of the first round of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, Lockheed Martin is now looking at cheaper, less capable designs for the next round.

The limited arrangement has U.S. and Australian personnel flying the Australian-made uncrewed system.

Dr Mehmet Demiroğlu, the new General Manager of Turkish Aerospace Industries, is at EIAS with a mission.

In September 2004, Aviation Week featured DARPA’s Unmanned Combat Armed Rotorcraft (UCAR) on its cover, just a few months before the highly ambitious effort was canceled. UCAR was being designed to operate autonomously and distinguish combatants from non-combatants in hostile…

The RCCTO and the U.S. Army’s Development Command Ground Vehicle Systems Center have been developing autonomous ground systems.

Collaborative combat aircraft (CCA), often referred to as 'loyal wingmen', are unmanned combat aerial vehicles that can operate alongside manned aircraft.

The U.S. Marine Corps has chosen Leonardo’s AW139 medium helicopter to demonstrate autonomous logistics resupply.

The Hyundai Motor Group subsidiary’s first full-scale demonstrator is currently being assembled at its facility in Irvine, California.

A successful demonstration of the first unmanned air taxi trial in Mecca is said to pave the way for future implementation of smart mobility solutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Hanwha will integrate its new AESA radar, featuring the "tile" type transmitter/receive (T/R) block design, on to the KUS-LW.

Airbus is to adapt a German Air Force Eurofighter combat aircraft into a testbed for manned-unmanned teaming technologies.

Airbus has lifted the veil on its concept for an autonomous collaborative combat aircraft that would accompany current combat aircraft into battle.

The announcement makes Airbus the first of four companies to identify themselves as participants in Phase 1 of the Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) program.

The U.S. Marine Corps is in the study phase of its collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) effort.

Anduril and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems will continue to design the first increment of the collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) for the U.S. Air Force.

The Navy’s CCA target amounts to roughly half the Air Force’s target unit cost.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has linked up with Aerotor to propose a large, VTOL uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) to perform a range of military roles.

The project involves Thales, TXT and the Universite Laval.

The Japanese Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Air Force have announced a joint research program on AI for UAVs to operate alongside crewed fighters.

Shield AI said on Dec. 29 that it raised an additional $300 million, adding to a previously announced $200 million through debt issuance, as part of the autopilot startup’s Series F round.

U.S. startup AIBOT has been gaining attention for its plan to integrate AI into its planned family of eVTOL vehicles.

AI leaders cooperate; Cargo eVTOL flies; UK extends R&D funding; and China’s firefighting eVTOL.

Aviation Week defense editor Steve Trimble takes a look at the Edge Jeniah unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) prototype..

Dubbed the AR-2000, the new RWUAS at Dubai Airshow is the latest in an evolving line of more capable, Chinese-developed unmanned rotary-wing vehicles.

Here are some photos from the China National Aero-technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC) display at Dubai Airshow 2023.

UAE defense conglomerate Edge Group has taken a 50% stake in Polish light jet developer Flaris.

Emirati defense conglomerate Edge Group has purchased a majority stake in Switzerland-based vertical-takeoff-and-landing UAS developer Anavia.

The threat of intense air attacks from UAVs, missiles and rockets are increasing and many defence contractors will be at next week’s Dubai International Air Show ready to counter these threats.

Shield AI, the startup behind the Hivemind pilot program that features AI software, said on Oct. 31 it raised $200 million in Series F funding.

Ocean Aero, a startup company working on autonomous U.S. Navy ships and backed by Lockheed Martin, has opened its new headquarters and manufacturing facility.

KAI revealed its development roadmap for the MC-X transport program at ADEX 2023, hinting at a "mothership" role to air-launch other platforms.

A Near Earth Autonomy-Kaman team and Piasecki Aircraft have won contracts to demonstrate UAVs for the U.S. Army’s HVTOL program.

The vertical-takeoff-and-landing UAS is designed to provide the Singapore Armed Forces command post last-mile intelligence of areas of interest.

UAV-maker envisions pushing decisions to frontline soldiers, autonomous weapons.