Airbus Debuts Uncrewed U145 Aircraft at ILA Berlin Airshow
Airbus Helicopters has officially debuted the U145 uncrewed aircraft, building on the original H145 helicopter.
At ILA Berlin, a full-scale mock up of the U145 was on display for attendees to get up close and personal with the newest uncrewed aerial system (UAS).
With no physical cockpit, key features of the U145 UAS include:
- Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) of 3,800 kg
- Specialized sensor suite
- Artificial intelligence enabling full autonomy
There are also modifications designed for cargo, such as:
- Integrated nose door
- Foldable loading table
- Dedicated cargo floor
As the U145 aims to be adaptable to a wide variety of mission profiles—both civil and military—its design makes it ideal for: - High-volume cargo supply
- Disaster management
- Firefighting
- Armed scouting
- Surveillance
- Drone mothership functionality for air launched effects
- Crewed-uncrewed teaming
Airbus has also previously created an uncrewed version of the Cabri G2: the VSR700.
Airbus Helicopters CEO Matthieu Louvot said, “With the U145, we are offering our customers an autonomous, uncrewed version of our H145 helicopter - combining the proven airframe, power and useful load of the H145 with the autonomy of a UAS.”
Louvot continued, “To develop the U145 and its capabilities as a multi-mission UAS, we will be teaming up with leading autonomous mission partners to further expand the UAS ecosystem in Europe.”
Airbus is currently planning a maiden flight for the U145 with a safety pilot onboard near the end of 2026. Entry-intro-service is anticipated for the early 2030s.