Airbus Helicopters has developed an uncrewed version of its H145 four-tonne-class twin-engine helicopter.
Known as the U145, a full-scale mock-up of the new unmanned rotorcraft is being shown at the ILA Berlin airshow, taking place from 10 to 14 June 2026.
The U145 is designed complements Airbus’ helicopter and uncrewed aerial system (UAS) offering. A maiden flight with a safety pilot on board is planned for the end of 2026, with entry into service envisaged for the beginning of the next decade.
The U145 will feature a specialised sensor suite and artificial intelligence for full autonomy. Compared with a crewed H145 helicopter, the U145 will have no physical cockpit and will include significant adaptations for cargo, such as an integrated nose door including a foldable loading table and a dedicated cargo floor.
With a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 3,800 kg, the U145 is being developed as a mission-agnostic solution for civil and military applications, primarily high-volume cargo supply. Its modular design supports expansion into roles like disaster management, firefighting, armed scouting, surveillance, drone mothership functionality for air-launched effects (where Airbus is partnering with MBDA), as well as crewed/uncrewed teaming.
The H145 is the second crewed helicopter Airbus is converting into an uncrewed version following the VSR700, which is derived from the Guimbal Cabri G2 light helicopter.
In the United States Airbus US Space & Defense, together with its partners Shield AI, L3 Harris and Parry Lab, is offering the US Marine Corps the MQ-72C, which is a fully autonomous variant of the proven UH-72B Lakota helicopter, which was also derived from the H145.
