Sikorsky, has revealed announced today that it will integrate its MATRIX™ autonomy suite into BETA Technologies’ALIA MV250 hybrid vertical‑take‑off‑and‑landing (hVTOL) aircraft. The BETA MV250 is expected to join the rapidly expanding family of MATRIX autonomy-capable platforms, alongside Sikorsky S‑70UAS™ U‑Hawk™, the Sikorsky Nomad™ VTOL UAS and the Sikorsky OPV Black Hawk as well as Robinson Unmanned’s Skytruck.
The two companies to this initiative earlier this month and within two weeks MATRIX autonomy was integrated and flying BETA’s CX300 conventional takeoff and landing aircraft which will in turn, lead to MV250 development since the VTOL and CTOL have a common flight control architecture. Ongoing flight testing is intended to expand the flight envelope and prove the reliability of the MATRIX autonomy suite paired with BETA’s in-house built flight control system.
“Integrating the MATRIX autonomy stack into the MV250 is another step forward in providing a range of solutions for contested logistics missions, which we have demonstrated in autonomous operations since 2021,” said Rich Benton, vice president and general manager of Sikorsky. “All platforms equipped with MATRIX autonomy can be commanded using the same interface, giving operators the ability seamlessly manage various systems with just a few taps. MATRIX technology represents an opportunity to get safe, reliable, certifiable autonomy into a range of platforms as quickly as possible.”
“Sikorsky has spent years proving that autonomy is safe, reliable, and operationally useful,” added Kyle Clark, founder and chief executive officer of BETA Technologies. “The MV250 is low cost, high speed and simple and designed for autonomous integration. Bringing MATRIX autonomy onto the MV250 combines those investments into a platform that can do high-risk missions without putting personnel at risk. Pairing Sikorsky’s proven autonomy with our aircraft gives defense customers a low-cost, fast, credible path to uncrewed logistics in contested environments.”
Image: Sikorsky
