Airbus Helicopters is presenting the U145, an uncrewed version of the well-known twin-engine H145 helicopter, at the ILA Berlin airshow. The new model combines the proven H145 platform with autonomous systems and the capabilities of uncrewed aerial systems, with a full-scale mock-up displayed at the show. The first flight, still with a safety pilot onboard, is planned for the end of 2026, while entry into service is expected at the beginning of the next decade.
The U145 will not merely be a remotely controlled version of the existing helicopter, but a significantly adapted platform intended for autonomous missions. Unlike the conventional H145, the new variant will have no physical cockpit, while its space and structure will be adapted primarily for cargo transport. Airbus says the U145 will feature an integrated nose door with a foldable loading table and a dedicated cargo floor, clearly indicating that the platform’s primary role will be logistical support and the delivery of high-volume cargo.
The maximum take-off weight will be 3,800 kilograms, and Airbus is developing the U145 as a platform not tied to a single specific mission. In addition to civil and military logistics tasks, it is expected to support disaster management, firefighting, surveillance, armed scouting, drone mothership operations for air-launched effects, and crewed-uncrewed teaming. In the field of air-launched effects, Airbus is partnering with MBDA.
Airbus says the U145 retains the key advantages of the H145, including its proven airframe, powerplant and useful load, while combining them with the autonomy of an uncrewed system. Matthieu Louvot, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, said the U145 offers customers an autonomous, uncrewed version of the H145, adding that Airbus will work with leading autonomous mission partners to further expand the UAS ecosystem in Europe.
The U145 is the second crewed helicopter that Airbus is converting into an uncrewed version. The first such programme was the VSR700, developed from the Cabri G2 helicopter. The new U145 will be equipped with a specialised sensor suite and artificial intelligence systems intended to enable full autonomy, placing it within the broader trend of developing larger uncrewed VTOL platforms for missions in which the use of a crew would be risky, costly or operationally limiting.
In parallel with the European programme, Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, together with Shield AI, L3Harris and Parry Lab, is offering the U.S. Marine Corps the MQ-72C in the United States. This is a fully autonomous variant of the Lakota UH-72B helicopter, tailored to the specific requirements of the U.S. Marines.
The H145 is one of the most widely used modern light twin-engine helicopter platforms. According to Airbus, more than 1,800 helicopters from the H145 family are in service in military, parapublic and civil missions, having logged more than 8.5 million flight hours. The H145 is powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines with FADEC, while Airbus also highlights its low acoustic footprint and the lowest CO₂ emissions among competitors in its class.
