US Marine Corps tests autonomous AW139 helicopter
Near Earth Autonomy has completed the first autonomous test flight of a Leonardo AW139 helicopter as part of the U.S. Marine Corps’ Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) program.
The flight, conducted in May in Phoenix, Arizona, marks a key milestone for the ALC program.
According to the company, this was the first time the AW139 was autonomously controlled using Near Earth’s onboard autonomy stack. The test demonstrated key capabilities including autonomous flight control, onboard decision-making, and seamless integration with legacy aircraft systems.
“This flight showcases Near Earth Autonomy’s leadership in developing trusted autonomy for real-world operations,” said Dr. Sanjiv Singh, CEO of Near Earth Autonomy. “By directly controlling the AW139’s flight modes with our autonomy system, we’ve shown that scalable autonomous logistics using existing platforms is not just possible, it’s happening now.”
The ALC program, managed under a Naval Aviation Systems Consortium Other Transaction Agreement (OTA), aims to deliver an autonomous aerial logistics system that enhances military readiness and operational flexibility. Future testing is expected to expand autonomy features, including automated route planning, obstacle avoidance, and logistics system integration.
The test was made possible through cooperation with Honeywell Aerospace Technologies and Leonardo. A Honeywell-owned AW139 served as the testbed and was outfitted with avionics interfacing directly with the autonomy package. Leonardo, the original manufacturer of the aircraft, provided engineering support to enable system integration.
“This successful demonstration is a major step in creating brand new possibilities for not only the USMC, but potentially other helicopter operators as well,” said Bob Buddecke, President of Electronic Solutions at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies. “Together with Near Earth Autonomy and Leonardo, we’re showing how existing aircraft can be adapted with trusted avionics to support the next generation of defense logistics. Uncrewed aircraft will be vital in keeping service men and women safe in contested environments, and we are one step closer to realizing that vision.”
Near Earth is developing its system as a scalable and certifiable autonomy solution that enables the rapid conversion of existing crewed aircraft to uncrewed operations. As noted by the company, this approach is designed to meet evolving defense logistics demands while reducing risk to personnel operating in high-threat environments.