Miles Jamison 
Airbus U.S. Space & Defense has collaborated with Parry Labs, Shield AI and L3Harris Technologies to complete the fourth round of autonomous flight tests on the H145 helicopter, integrating each company’s technologies into a single aircraft.
What Was Demonstrated During the Flight Tests?
Shield AI said the test series, which builds on previous successful demonstrations, was conducted at Airbus’ facility in Grand Prairie, Texas. The flight tests centered on enhancing the aircraft’s perception system to ensure the delivery of accurate real-time data, enabling the autonomous pilot to identify and avoid obstacles during landing. The technologies provided by the companies enabled the H145 aircraft to assess the landing zone, detect obstructions and redirect to alternate sites.
“This test was vital for us to show the Lakota Connector’s development in performing aerial logistics missions for the U.S. Marine Corps,” said Rob Geckle, chairman and CEO of Airbus U.S. Space & Defense.
“Perception systems can make or break the success of an unmanned mission in the field, and I am excited to see our aircraft perform so well under uncertain conditions,” added the previous Wash100 Award winner.
How Did Industry Partners Contribute?
L3Harris enabled the integration of all four technologies through its modular open system architecture, while Shield AI’s Hivemind supported scalable, autonomous perception across rotary- and fixed-wing platforms without redesign. Parry Labs supplied onboard computing and autonomy-enabling software infrastructure to support real-time perception processing and decision-making during flight operations.
“Autonomy only works when perception and mission software operate together at the edge. This flight test showed how partner technologies can be rapidly integrated to deliver real-world operational capabilities,” said JD Parkes, CEO of Parry Labs and two-time Wash100 Award winner.
