Story ID: 391
Honeywell Flies Autonomous Helicopter
By: David Donald
Caption: Tests illustrate how regular helicopters can be converted for autonomous operations
Word Count: 150
Honeywell and Near Earth Autonomy successfully completed the first autonomous flight of a Leonardo AW139 helicopter last month, the partners announced Tuesday. 
Conducted in Phoenix, the flight was undertaken in support of the U.S. Marine Corps’ Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) program, proving the feasibility of deploying autonomous uncrewed aircraft to deliver supplies in contested environments.
ALC aims to develop and implement logistics systems that reduce risk to personnel while accelerating supply operations and increasing capacity. Further testing of the Honeywell/Near Earth Autonomy system will involve automated obstacle avoidance and integration into military logistics workflows.
The Marines first looked into uncrewed resupply helicopters in the late 2000s, resulting in a pair of Kaman K-Max cargo-lift helicopters being converted for optionally piloted operations. After extensive trials in the U.S., the Marines deployed them for evaluation in Afghanistan between 2011 and 2013.