At the centre of the effort is a modular autonomy kit enabling 24/7 operation without onboard crew, remote pilots or continuous data links. This approach is designed to reduce risks to personnel while increasing logistics efficiency and operational tempo.
The project establishes a scalable and repeatable process to retrofit legacy aircraft, helping the Army avoid lengthy acquisition cycles. While the UH-60L is the initial focus, the underlying architecture is built for adaptability across multiple aircraft fleets.
Near Earth’s autonomy system, known as Captain, is engineered for complex and degraded environments, allowing safe navigation and hazard avoidance without human control or GPS communication. The system uses a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) to support future upgrades, cost-efficiency and simplified maintenance.
“This programme is a significant step forward for Army logistics and autonomy,” said Sanjiv Singh, CEO of Near Earth. “We’re proud to bring our proven helicopter autonomy experience to bear and excited to see it operationalised at scale to support soldiers in the field.”
Honeywell is contributing advanced avionics to the project, including flight decks, navigation, and fly-by-wire systems that are compatible with both current and future aircraft. “Our avionics provides a modular, certifiable foundation that aligns with both today’s operational tempo and tomorrow’s autonomy goals,” said Matt Milas, President, Defence & Space, Honeywell Aerospace Technologies.
The company is supporting the delivery of an affordable and scalable autonomy solution for piloted, optionally piloted, and fully autonomous aircraft. These systems are designed to meet military needs today while preparing for a transition to uncrewed operations.
Near Earth began developing an uncrewed Black Hawk in 2021, building on more than a decade of experience and over 10,000 autonomous flights across 140 airframes. The company previously led notable efforts such as the first fully autonomous helicopter flight for the U.S. Army and the Office of Naval Research’s AACUS programme.
The Army will work with Near Earth to develop and test new operational procedures through a series of autonomous flight demonstrations.
