In late October, two Sikorsky research helicopters, operated by Lockheed Martin, undertook a series of autonomous test flights over Long Island Sound, Connecticut. Guided by NASA-designed software, these helicopters executed a dozen flights, avoiding virtual aircraft in a simulated environment. This marked the first instance of two autonomous aircraft using NASA-developed collision avoidance software flying in close proximity. The collaboration involved NASA, Sikorsky, and DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), aiming to gather data to advance fully autonomous flight systems. These efforts align with NASA’s pursuit of technologies that could lead to the deployment of air taxis and other automated air transportation solutions.
For the tests, two experimental helicopters, the Sikorsky Autonomy Research Aircraft (SARA) and the Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV) Black Hawk, were equipped with five NASA-designed software systems. These systems, in conjunction with Sikorsky and DARPA’s integrated automated flight system, facilitated autonomous flight along predefined routes. Safety pilots onboard each helicopter supervised the tests, monitoring the flight paths selected by the software and making course corrections when necessary. The collaboration included an assessment of how human pilots interacted with the autonomous systems, with NASA research pilots wearing specially designed glasses to analyze their interactions and physiological responses to the information provided by the tablets.
The successful 12-flight series, covering 70 different maneuvers, generated over 30 flight hours for each aircraft. The mixed-reality tests over Long Island Sound included the integration of virtual aircraft into the airspace, with more than 150 virtual aircraft and their flight plans incorporated into the simulations. The NASA-designed software allowed simultaneous command of both helicopters, demonstrating their ability to make real-time adjustments to avoid virtual collisions and maintain safe flight paths. This collaboration between NASA, Sikorsky, and DARPA lays the groundwork for advancing automation technology in aviation, contributing valuable data to support the integration of Advanced Air Mobility systems into national airspace, guided by insights from flight procedures and safety protocols.
