Airbus U145 Autonomous Helicopter

Full Specifications

Airbus U145 Autonomous Helicopter: Uncrewed H145 Variant for Cargo & Missions

The Airbus U145 represents a significant evolution in rotary-wing unmanned aerial systems (UAS), transforming the reliable H145 platform into a fully autonomous, cockpit-less helicopter optimized for high-volume cargo and complex multi-domain operations. Unveiled as a full-scale mock-up at ILA Berlin in June 2026, the U145 addresses growing demands for risk-reduced logistics in contested environments while leveraging Airbus’s extensive helicopter expertise.

Manufacturer and Origin

Developed by Airbus Helicopters (a division of the European multinational Airbus), the U145 is based in Europe with strong ties to French and German aerospace industries. It builds directly on the H145 family, which has accumulated over 8.5 million flight hours across more than 1,800 aircraft in civil, parapublic, and military service worldwide. The U145 follows Airbus’s prior VSR700 uncrewed program and incorporates partnerships with autonomy specialists for AI and sensor integration.

Purpose and Major Capabilities

Designed as a mission-agnostic UAS, the U145 prioritizes heavy cargo resupply, logistics in austere or high-threat areas, disaster relief, firefighting, surveillance, and armed scouting. Key innovations include the removal of the physical cockpit to maximize internal volume, an integrated nose door with foldable loading table, and a dedicated cargo floor. It features a specialized sensor suite and artificial intelligence enabling full autonomy, with potential for crewed-uncrewed teaming and roles as a drone mothership (e.g., partnering with MBDA for air-launched effects). Powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines, it retains the H145’s twin-engine reliability and low acoustic signature.

Speed and Range

Performance closely mirrors the H145: maximum speed around 268 km/h (145 knots), cruise speed approximately 241 km/h (130 knots), operational range up to 650 km (351 nm) with standard tanks, and endurance of about 3.5 hours. As an uncrewed platform, optimized fuel use and future enhancements could extend these figures in cargo configurations.

Cost/Price

Exact unit pricing for the U145 has not been publicly released, as the program is in early development (maiden flight planned for late 2026, service entry early 2030s). It is expected to align with premium UAS costs, likely in the multi-million dollar range per unit, offering long-term savings through reduced crew risk and high utilization of the mature H145 airframe and support ecosystem.

The U145 positions Airbus strongly in the growing autonomous heavy-lift rotorcraft market, providing U.S. and allied forces with a versatile, European-sourced option for resilient logistics and multi-mission support.