Airbus Unveils U145 Unmanned Helicopter with AI Autonomous Flight Technology
Airbus Helicopters has unveiled the U145, an unmanned variant of its H145 light twin-engine helicopter, at the ILA Berlin Air Show 2026. A full-scale mockup was displayed on June 8, with a first flight planned for late 2026 and entry into service targeted for the early 2030s.
Highlights
- Airbus Helicopters unveiled the U145 unmanned helicopter at ILA Berlin on June 8, 2026, displaying a full-scale mockup.
- The U145 is an AI-enabled uncrewed variant of the proven H145 light twin-engine helicopter platform.
- First flight with a safety pilot on board is planned for late 2026, with service entry targeted for the early 2030s.
- Airbus's strategy leverages existing H145 supply chains, maintenance infrastructure, and certification experience to reduce development risk.
- The U145 is designed for military, search and rescue, and logistics applications in the unmanned aviation domain.
Airbus Unveils U145 Unmanned Helicopter with AI Autonomous Flight Technology
According to Aerotime, Airbus Helicopters has officially unveiled the U145 unmanned helicopter — an uncrewed variant of its H145 light twin-engine helicopter. The company showcased a full-scale mockup of the U145 at the ILA Berlin Air Show on June 8, 2026.
An Unmanned Solution Built on a Proven Platform
The U145 is based on Airbus's widely used H145 light twin-engine helicopter, integrating AI-driven autonomous flight technology to enable unmanned operations. The H145 has accumulated extensive military and civilian flight hours worldwide, and leveraging this mature platform for unmanned conversion helps reduce technical risk while accelerating the development timeline.
Development Timeline
Airbus has indicated that the U145's maiden flight is expected to take place by the end of 2026, with a safety pilot still on board during initial testing. Full entry into service is projected for the early part of the next decade — approximately the early 2030s — indicating that the program remains in its early development phase, with several years still ahead before commercial operations begin.
Industry Significance
The unveiling marks a significant move by a legacy helicopter manufacturer into the unmanned aviation space. Airbus's strategy of adapting an existing manned helicopter platform for unmanned use stands in contrast to approaches that involve designing entirely new unmanned aircraft from scratch. This methodology allows the company to capitalize on established supply chains, maintenance infrastructure, and flight certification experience, laying the groundwork for future unmanned helicopter applications across military, search and rescue, and logistics domains.
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