ATLANTA, Georgia - Robinson Helicopter has unveiled the TurbineTruck, an uncrewed cargo variant of its R66 turbine helicopter, equipped with Sikorsky's Matrix autonomous flight-control system. The aircraft can carry up to 1,500 pounds (680 kg) and features front-opening clamshell doors where the cockpit once was, making it easy to load palletized cargo. Stripping out the manual controls and cockpit actually increases useful load compared to the standard crewed R66, and Robinson believes further weight reductions are still possible.
The company envisions two main markets for the TurbineTruck: civil "special cargo" missions like urgent deliveries to oil rigs or organ transplants, and military "contested logistics" - reducing the need for crewed resupply runs in dangerous environments. The program already has an undisclosed customer, with a first flight targeted for next year, though the team believes they can move faster.
To house these efforts, Robinson has created a new business unit called Robinson Unmanned, which also includes its R44-based Airtruck and Sprayhawk platforms developed in partnership with Rotor Technologies, covering cargo and aerial spraying missions respectively. The division is headed by Paul Fermo, currently president of Ascent AeroSystems, a small drone manufacturer Robinson acquired in 2024.
Robinson CEO David Smith frames the move as Robinson's response to what he calls "the era of both" where crewed and uncrewed aircraft coexist. He's deliberate about Robinson's role: building reliable, low-cost, aerospace-grade airframes and partnering with specialists for the autonomy technology, rather than trying to become a software company itself.
You have 0 item(s) in your cart
