Sikorsky, Robnson unveil autonomous R66 Turbinetruck cargo helicopter

Sikorsky and Robinson Helicopter Company have unveiled the R66 Turbinetruck, an autonomous cargo helicopter designed for commercial and military utility missions, marking a new collaboration between Lockheed Martin’s rotary-wing unit and Robinson’s expanding unmanned aircraft business. 

Announced on March 10, 2026, the R66 Turbinetruck combines Sikorsky’s Matrix autonomy system with Robinson Unmanned’s cargo UAS helicopter platform. The companies said the aircraft is intended for missions including “cargo delivery, resupply, contested logistics, and disaster relief.” 

The aircraft is built around Robinson’s R66 turbine-powered helicopter but removes the cockpit and crew stations in favor of a cargo-focused configuration. According to the companies, the design includes a high-volume fuselage, cargo floor, and a nose-mounted clamshell door to speed loading and unloading of palletized freight. The helicopter is also designed for both internal and external cargo operations. 

Sikorsky said the R66 Turbinetruck becomes the 21st aircraft to be enabled by its Matrix autonomy system. The company said Matrix has been validated on aircraft ranging from small drones to strategic airlift cargo planes and has accumulated more than 1,000 flight hours of operational data. 

The companies described the R66 Turbinetruck as a modular platform that can be reconfigured for different mission profiles. Sikorsky said the Matrix system uses a tablet-based interface that allows an operator to input mission goals, after which the autonomy suite generates a flight plan and relies on cameras, sensors, and algorithms to help the aircraft navigate to its destination. 

Sikorsky positioned the aircraft alongside its autonomous S-70UAS U-Hawk, saying the two systems are intended to address different operational needs across civil and defense markets. Rich Benton, Vice President and General Manager of Sikorsky, said the addition of the R66 Turbinetruck expands the network of uncrewed systems using the MATRIX platform.  “With every new platform we welcome into the Matric family, we widen the network of uncrewed systems to serve a variety of civil and military missions,” Benton said. “We view the U-Hawk and R66 Turbinetruck as complementary bookends that meet emerging customer needs across defense and commercial segments.” 

Neither company disclosed certification timelines, planned customers, or a first-flight schedule.  Robinson stressed the aircraft’s affordability and replaceability, describing it as a low-cost platform. David Smith, President and CEO of Robinson Helicopter Company, said the collaboration is intended to extend the R66 with new capabilities while supporting the company’s longer-term push into integrated unmanned systems. The post Sikorsky, Robnson unveil autonomous R66 Turbinetruck cargo helicopter appeared first on AeroTime.

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