Near Earth Autonomy, based in Pittsburgh, is building a retrofit autonomy kit called RUC-60 for the US Army. It converts legacy UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters into optionally uncrewed aircraft. The Army awarded the effort about $15 million, announced in April 2025. Honeywell is a named partner, alongside Moog and XP Services.
What does RUC-60 actually let a Black Hawk do?
It adds an autonomy system, built on Near Earth’s “Captain” architecture, that can fly the helicopter without a pilot aboard. The goal is contested-logistics missions, like resupply and casualty evacuation, in environments too dangerous for crewed aircraft. The system is being engineered toward existing aviation certification standards rather than a one-off experimental build.
How far along is the testing?
As of early 2026, the team had completed systems integration and basic automated flight demonstrations. The autopilot has flown the aircraft through takeoff, hover, and landing on its own. More significant flight testing, including fully uncrewed missions, is expected to begin later in 2026.
Is this an operational capability yet?
No. This is a demonstrator and development program, not a fielded system. Full uncrewed flight testing is still pending. If it succeeds, it would give the Army a way to keep using its existing Black Hawk fleet for dangerous logistics runs. No crew would be at risk.
Is this the only Black Hawk autonomy effort underway?
No. Sikorsky is running a separate, parallel program. It fully integrated its own MATRIX autonomy suite onto the Army’s experimental UH-60MX, delivered in March 2026. That’s the Army’s first full-authority fly-by-wire, optionally-piloted Black Hawk. Near Earth Autonomy, for its part, was spun out of Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Institute and is led by CEO Sanjiv Singh. The two efforts are complementary, not competing for the same contract. Near Earth has also worked with Honeywell on a separate Marine Corps program. That effort achieved the first autonomous flight of a Leonardo AW139 helicopter for a logistics-connector program.
Sources: Honeywell, Aviation Week.
