NASA, in collaboration with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin subsidiary, has achieved a significant milestone in the development of autonomous flight software for pilotless air taxis. In a series of twelve test flights conducted in October 2023, two pilotless helicopters autonomously navigated over Long Island Sound, Connecticut, while avoiding over 150 virtual aircraft, marking a crucial step toward the realization of autonomous air transportation systems.
The helicopters, a modified S-76B and a larger OPV Black Hawk, were equipped with five NASA-developed software modules designed to control various aspects of autonomous flight. Each helicopter, already equipped with a conventional automated flight system, underwent successful test flights, covering 70 different flight maneuvers and accumulating over 30 flight hours.
The tests immersed the helicopters in a virtual environment, where they followed predefined routes while dynamically adjusting altitude, speed, and direction to avoid virtual aircraft “traveling” along predefined flight plans. Safety pilots and researchers on board closely monitored the performance of the autonomous systems using specially designed tablets, ensuring the helicopters responded effectively to software-initiated commands.
The collaborative effort aimed to assess how different software components worked together to control and fly the aircraft safely. Researchers also evaluated the interaction between humans and autonomous systems, with safety pilots and researchers responding to information provided by the tablets.
Adam Yingling, NASA project lead, emphasized the success of integrating multiple technologies into a single navigation tablet, highlighting the potential for future air taxis to use these tested automated flight systems. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is actively working on rules and regulations for air taxis, targeting a 2028 launch date for the first commercial routes in the United States.
Looking ahead, the advancements in autonomous flight software could pave the way for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, such as the recently announced Supernal SA-2, to serve as air taxis. These electric vehicles, known for their quieter operation, larger passenger capacity, and enhanced energy efficiency compared to conventional helicopters, represent a promising future for urban air mobility.
