Autonomous helicopter test flight completed by Airbus and Shield AI
NewsAugust 19, 2025
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas. Airbus U.S. Space & Defense and Shield AI completed an autonomous helicopter test flight using the H145 platform integrated with Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy software, Shield AI announced in a statement.
The test, conducted in Grand Prairie, Texas, demonstrated autonomous takeoff, landing, and other mission profiles under the control of Hivemind in combination with Airbus’ Helionix avionics system, the statement reads. Integration of the autonomy package was completed in under two months, which the company says highlights its modular and platform-agnostic design.
The software is planned for incorporation into the MQ-72C Lakota Connector helicopter, which is being developed for the U.S. Marine Corps Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) program. The unmanned variant of the UH-72 Lakota is intended to provide logistics support in contested environments, according to the statement.
The ALC effort is in its second year under a Middle Tier of Acquisition Rapid Prototyping Program, awarded by Naval Air Systems Command in 2024. Shield AI states that autonomy features tested on the H145 will inform further development of the MQ-72C and potentially be applied to other helicopter platforms.
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