R66 TurbineTruck
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation announced that it had received 15.5 million USD from the Naval Aviation Systems Consortium (NASC), under an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA), for the delivery of a prototype lightweight uncrewed cargo helicopter: the Robinson Unmanned R66 TurbineTruck with the MATRIX autonomy system, which was unveiled for the first time on March 10, 2026.
Image: Robinson Helicopter Company
The ability to deliver ammunition, medical supplies, and other essential equipment where they are needed, regardless of terrain, weather, or enemy threat, is critical to the continued success of the U.S. Marine Corps. The MARV-EL program fills a capability gap between small tactical drones and large strategic transport aircraft by bringing into service a reliable, medium-weight uncrewed logistics platform capable of operating from austere forward operating bases, ship decks, or unimproved landing zones.
The R66 TurbineTruck has been equipped with the MATRIX flight autonomy package, which has also been integrated into the new, fully autonomous S-70UAS U-Hawk helicopter and the U.S. Army’s UH-60MX Black Hawk. Without a conventional cockpit or crew stations, the helicopter has a relatively high-capacity fuselage, a cargo floor, and nose-opening doors, facilitating the rapid loading of palletized cargo.
“As we expand the MATRIX family, we also extend the reach of uncrewed solutions for both civil and military customers,” said Rich Benton, vice president and general manager of Sikorsky. “The commercially developed R66 TURBINETRUCK is simple, economical and re-configurable; ideal for high-risk, hard-to-reach environments where keeping personnel out of harm’s way is essential.”
“Our partnership with Sikorsky brings the trusted performance and reliability of the R66 platform into the unmanned logistics arena,” said David Smith, president and CEO of Robinson Helicopter Company. “The R66 TURBINETRUCK represents a significant step forward in expanding proven rotorcraft into scalable, autonomous cargo solutions for demanding operational environments. Together, we are delivering a game‑changing capability that will enhance warfighter readiness and open new opportunities for safe, reliable and affordable autonomous transport.”
“Operators need logistics solutions that can keep pace with rapidly changing mission demands without increasing complexity,” said Paul Fermo, president of Robinson Unmanned. “By combining MATRIX’s advanced autonomous capability with the rugged, flight-proven R66 airframe, the R66 TURBINETRUCK delivers that capability whenever and wherever it’s needed – no matter the environment.”
MARV-EL is a medium-weight uncrewed logistics aircraft program that addresses a capability gap in the Unmanned Logistics System–Air (ULS-A) program. The requirement is for an uncrewed aircraft capable of carrying a payload of 610 to 1,130 kg (1,300–2,500 lb) over a combat radius of 100 nautical miles (185 km), operated using a standard digital handheld device.
Robinson Unmanned will deliver the first R66 TurbineTruck to Sikorsky for integration, testing, evaluation, and demonstration. The capability demonstrations will showcase the platform-agnostic, open-architecture MATRIX system operating on the R66 airframe.
It is worth adding that Sikorsky participated in Phase 1 of the U.S. Marine Corps’ Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) program in 2025 and will draw on that experience in the MARV-EL Increment 2 program.
Uncrewed 505
The second bidder is a consortium comprising Near Earth Autonomy, Bell Textron, Moog, and XP Services, with the Uncrewed 505 helicopter, an uncrewed variant of Bell’s Model 505. The UAV has been equipped with Near Earth Autonomy’s Captain flight autonomy system, Bell Textron avionics from the baseline helicopter, and Genysys avionics from Moog.
Concept of the Uncrewed 505 autonomous logistics helicopter based on the Bell Model 505 / Images: Near Earth Autonomy
“The program is to develop an uncrewed aerial logistics aircraft for where the risk and need are highest,” said Lyle Chamberlain, CTO of Near Earth. “We are combining our Captain autonomy architecture with a proven Bell 505 platform to move cargo without putting Marines in harm’s way. To be as intuitive as possible, we are designing the aircraft around existing Marine Corps workflows. Operators will be able to request, dispatch, and manage missions through familiar command-and-control pathways, including MAGTAB and MANGL integration. At the same time, cargo can be loaded
with standard pallet jacks and forklifts. This approach reduces infrastructure burden and helps make autonomous resupply practical for expeditionary operations.”
“This program builds on lessons learned with the Marines on the Tactical Resupply Unmanned Aircraft System (TRUAS) and Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) programs, while extending the same shared autonomy framework we are using with the Army for the RUC-60 optionally piloted Black Hawk helicopters. Our foundation of insights, technology, and processes dramatically accelerates the development of this product and readiness to scale.”
“Our approach optimizes for fast, efficient progress on a mature, OEM-supported aircraft, rather than slowly reinventing the wheel with a new vehicle,” said Samuel Dinnar, Chief Strategy Officer at Near Earth. “Each of our collaborators brings a great deal to the table. Bell Textron provides the proven Bell 505 platform, the technical data, and the airworthiness foundation needed for derivative military configurations. Moog delivers the certified flight control system that connects autonomy to the aircraft with high-integrity flight control. XP Services provides the modification, integration,
maintenance, and experimental flight-test support needed to progress through every step of development.”
“Near Earth’s Captain autonomy architecture is a safety-critical, risk-aware, MOSA-based framework. Captain is designed to support autonomous takeoff, en route navigation, obstacle avoidance, GPS-denied navigation, safe landing, and dynamic in-flight mission updates while preserving the assurance artifacts needed for airworthiness and future military flight release processes. The same framework also provides a repeatable path for extending autonomy across multiple logistics aircraft.”
“The Bell 505 provides a proven, OEM-supported platform that is well suited for rapid adaptation to new mission requirements,” said Jason Hurst, SVP of Engineering, Bell. “By combining that aircraft maturity with Near Earth’s autonomy and integration expertise, this program has a strong foundation for delivering an effective autonomous logistics capability for the Marine Corps.”
“Moog is proud to bring our innovative design capabilities in autopilots, avionics, and flight-control hardware to a program focused on autonomous logistics for the Marine Corps,” said Sharmila Durairaj, General Manager, Moog Avionics. “By combining our flight-control technology with Near Earth’s autonomy into the Bell 505 platform, this team has a proven path to delivering a practical autonomous aerial logistics capability for contested operations.”
“Our collaboration and flight-test approach show that we have the right team to deliver an autonomous aircraft to support the Marine Corps’ 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 these aircraft modifications and installations at the rate and standard customers will demand.”
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