U.S. Marine Corps Awards Contracts for Autonomous Cargo Helicopters Based on Robinson R66 and Bell 505

announced that its Sikorsky subsidiary and Robinson Unmanned received a $15.5 million contract for the R66 Turbinetruck under Increment 2 of MARV-EL. The R66 Turbinetruck combines the Robinson R66 airframe with Sikorsky’s MATRIX autonomy system. The R66 is a single-turbine engine helicopter used in civilian roles such as training, passenger transport, and utility operations.

The platform is designed for high-risk environments to keep personnel safe. A representative of Robinson Helicopter Company said the partnership delivers autonomous cargo solutions for operational environments. >"Our partnership with Sikorsky brings the trusted performance and reliability of the R66 platform into the unmanned logistics arena," said a representative of Robinson Helicopter Company.

The Turbinetruck can carry 1,300 pounds internally or via external hook, with a total useful load of 1,500 pounds and a range over 325 nautical miles. It features clamshell doors for loading and operates via a digital tablet for mission planning.

, and XP Services. The Bell 505 is a single-turbine helicopter used in similar civilian roles as the R66. It integrates Near Earth’s Captain autonomous system and Moog’s Genesys avionics. A representative of Near Earth said the program develops an uncrewed aircraft to move cargo without risking personnel.

The development will involve 36 months of integration and flight-testing to achieve full mission capability.

requires an uncrewed aircraft to carry payloads between 1,300 and 2,500 pounds to a 100-nautical-mile combat radius, operated via a handheld device. These platforms address logistics needs in the Indo-Pacific theater, supporting Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations from austere bases, unimproved landing zones, and ships.

They fill a gap between small drones and larger crewed airlifters, reducing risks associated with crewed rotorcraft in high-tempo operations. Robinson Unmanned will deliver the first R66 Turbinetruck to Sikorsky for integration, testing, and demonstrations.

The MATRIX system, previously tested on UH-60M helicopters, is platform-agnostic with an open architecture.