Near Earth Autonomy and collaborators complete integration milestones for the RUC-60 optionally crewed Black Hawk ahead of mission testing in 2026
Near Earth Autonomy and its collaborators have completed a year of integration work and flight demonstrations for the RUC-60, an optionally crewed Black Hawk designed for military logistics missions in contested environments.
The program converts surplus UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters from the U.S. Army into autonomous logistics aircraft. The RUC-60, short for Responsive Uncrewed Capability, integrates Near Earth’s Captain autonomy architecture. The system is designed to meet existing aerospace safety and accreditation standards.
During the past year, Near Earth worked with collaborators Honeywell, Moog, and XP Services to advance the aircraft’s flight systems and autonomy capabilities. The team also conducted automated flight demonstrations and prepared for logistics mission testing planned for 2026.
Last summer, the team demonstrated a fully automated Black Hawk flight. The aircraft completed the mission from takeoff to landing without pilot control.
Recent demonstrations also highlighted progress in flight computing, perception sensors, and flight control systems. The team also outlined the path toward operational maturity.
“Near Earth is leading the integration of autonomy into the next generation of military operations,” said Lyle Chamberlain, Chief Technology Officer at Near Earth. “Once you remove the pilot, you have to re-evaluate the entire operation, everything from how the aircraft gets out of the hangar to how it navigates and makes mission-critical decisions in flight. Autonomy isn’t just about flight control; it has to take on the full role of the crew, including responsibilities we often take for granted. That’s why we built the Captain autonomy architecture from the ground up to support end-to-end operations and meet the rigorous accreditation standards needed for real-world deployment.”
Autonomous Logistics for Contested Environments
Military planners are increasingly focused on logistics operations in contested environments. Traditional supply chains often rely on centralized hubs and crewed aircraft. These systems can face risk in high-threat areas.
Autonomous aircraft may offer a different approach. Uncrewed logistics platforms could operate with less risk to personnel and sustain operations in distributed environments.
In a February 2024 article on military logistics, Maj. Gen. Simerly, Col. Callis, and Maj. Legault wrote, “Recognizing that large-scale combat within the context of a contested logistics environment places a premium on the ability to robustly sustain forces over extended time and distance, modernizing sustainment capabilities is non-negotiable.”
They added, “Commanders will likely take much greater risks with machines than they otherwise would with Soldiers’ lives.”
Near Earth says the RUC-60 aims to address this shift in operational needs. The aircraft could deliver cargo in contested airspace without onboard crews, remote pilots, or constant communication links.
Most existing uncrewed aircraft lack the cargo capacity required for military logistics missions. Others remain years away from deployment.
Near Earth began developing an uncrewed Black Hawk concept in 2021. The company builds on more than 10,000 autonomous flight operations across over 140 aircraft platforms.
The company has also supported U.S. Marine Corps work on the Aerial Logistics Connector concept. That effort uses a Leonardo AW139 helicopter equipped with autonomy systems.
“We are working together to tightly define the exact capabilities needed for Near Earth’s Captain autonomy to take on the full responsibilities of a human pilot,” said Samuel Dinnar, Chief Strategy Officer at Near Earth. “This includes every operational procedure, from coming up cold on a flight line to finishing the mission and shutting down.”
Industry Collaboration and System Integration
The RUC-60 program combines technologies from several aerospace partners.
Honeywell provides certified Honeywell Anthem avionics, navigation systems, and satellite communications capabilities. The company also supports systems engineering for the program.
“Autonomy at this scale demands avionics that are certifiable, modular, and resilient from day one, and that’s what Near Earth gets with Honeywell Anthem,” said Matt Milas, President of Defense & Space, Honeywell Aerospace Technologies. “In addition to avionics components, Honeywell will provide resilient navigation and systems engineering backbone that enables Near Earth’s autonomy to scale across aircraft, missions, and operational environments.”
Moog contributes flight control technology through its Genesys GRC™ 4000 four-axis autopilot system. The hardware enables deterministic control of the aircraft during autonomous operations.
In July, the team conducted automated flight demonstrations at XP Services’ facility in Tullahoma, Tennessee. The demonstration showed the autopilot system controlling the Black Hawk through takeoff, hover, and landing without pilot stick input.
“Our partnership with Moog began in 2022, leveraging their high-performance Genesys flight control system on Black Hawk platforms,” said Dinnar. “The prototype system we flew together in 2024 has now received FAA TSO civilian certification for operations in national airspace. This is just one of the many ways we are working together. Moog’s Genesys autopilot delivers exceptional control performance and integrates seamlessly with air traffic management systems, making it ideal for dual-use applications.”
“By combining our collaborator’s technology with Near Earth’s Captain autonomy architecture, we can accelerate the deployment of advanced uncrewed capabilities while meeting accreditation standards and achieving airworthiness for both defense and certified commercial use cases,” said Dinnar.
Moog leaders highlighted the broader potential of the platform.
“Moog is proud to demonstrate our innovative design capabilities in autopilots, flight decks, and flight-control hardware to revolutionize how aircraft are flown now and into the future,” said Sharmila Durairaj, General Manager, Moog Avionics.
“Experiencing our autopilot flying the Black Hawk automatically from takeoff, to hover, to landing confirms it’s a game-changing capability for the UH-60 rotorcraft platform,” said Nick Bogner, Business Development Director, Moog Avionics. “Moog is excited to collaborate with Near Earth on the RUC program for optionally piloted helicopter technology applicable to any rotorcraft platform.”
Honeywell also emphasized the broader implications for defense and commercial aviation.
“Not only is this successful demonstration a major step in creating brand new possibilities for defense, but it also creates a potential pathway for use by other helicopter operators,” said Jason Wissink, Vice President & General Manager of Avionics at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies. “With Near Earth, we’re showing how existing aircraft can be adapted to support the next generation of defense logistics. Uncrewed aircraft will be vital in keeping service men and women as safe as possible in contested environments, and we are one step closer to realizing that vision.”
Converting Existing Aircraft for Autonomous Operations
Near Earth’s approach focuses on upgrading existing aircraft rather than building new platforms.
The company is developing autonomy kits designed to convert UH-60L Black Hawks into RUC-60 logistics aircraft. These helicopters can carry large cargo loads while operating around the clock.
“The UH-60L Black Hawk is a great place to start”, said Sanjiv Singh, CEO of Near Earth. “The Army has over 700 of them headed for retirement over the next few years, and each one can move up to 90,000 pounds of cargo a day. They are more available and cost-effective than larger aircraft, with the added benefit of existing maintenance infrastructure and spare parts. The Army’s been flying them since the late ’80s, but as they transition to the MV-75 and UH-60M, we see an opportunity to upgrade these trusted workhorses for uncrewed logistics. And once that’s in place, we can scale the same autonomy to bigger platforms, like the Chinook or Super Stallion, and also take on new missions like casualty evacuation and disaster relief.”
XP Services supports aircraft conversion and integration for the program.
“Our collaboration and flights prove that we have the right team to provide an autonomous solution that meets the Army’s requirement to operate in a contested logistics environment,” said Ken Pfleger, Program Manager of XP Services. “The XP Services team has performed hundreds of aircraft conversions since its beginning in 2008. We have the resources to support RUC-60 kit installations at the rate and standard that customers would demand.”
Near Earth says autonomous operations could allow aircraft to deliver cargo even in GPS- or communications-denied environments. Removing onboard crews also reduces risk to personnel.
The system uses the company’s Captain architecture, which follows a Modular Open Systems Approach. This structure allows upgrades and expansion to other aircraft types over time.
Near Earth expects to begin significant flight testing of the RUC-60 platform in 2026.
“The sooner we complete this contested logistics solution, the sooner it will be delivering needed supplies to Soldiers and keeping the crew safe,” said Singh.
Read more:
- U.S. Army Selects Near Earth Autonomy and Honeywell to Retrofit Black Hawks for Autonomous Logistics
- Near Earth Autonomy to Deliver Miniaturized Autonomous Flight Systems for U.S. Marine Corps Resupply Drones
- Full-scale Helicopter Logistics, Minus the Pilots: Near Earth Autonomy is Enabling Autonomy
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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