Airbus unveiled the U145 during the ILA Berlin Air Show and displayed a full-scale mock-up of the aircraft.
The new model expands the company’s growing portfolio of uncrewed aerial systems. It is designed to support both civil and military operations.
The U145 is based on the widely used H145 helicopter, which already serves military, public service, and commercial operators worldwide. More than 1,800 helicopters from the H145 family are currently in service. Together, they have accumulated over 8.5 million flight hours.
Airbus Helicopters CEO Matthieu Louvot said the U145 combines the trusted airframe, power, and payload capacity of the H145 with the autonomy of a drone. He added that Airbus plans to work with leading autonomous mission partners. The goal is to strengthen Europe’s unmanned aviation ecosystem.
U145: Cargo, Defense, Emergency Ops
Unlike the standard H145, the U145 will not have a traditional cockpit. Instead, it will use a dedicated sensor package and artificial intelligence to fly autonomously. Airbus is also redesigning parts of the aircraft to improve cargo handling.
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The helicopter will feature an integrated nose door and a foldable loading table. It will also have a dedicated cargo floor for transporting supplies. These changes are aimed at improving efficiency in logistics missions.
With a maximum take-off weight of 3,800 kilograms, Airbus is developing the U145 as a flexible platform. Its primary role will be high-volume cargo transport. However, the aircraft can also be adapted for disaster response, firefighting, surveillance, and military scouting missions.
Airbus Expands Uncrewed Aviation
The U145 is the second crewed helicopter Airbus has converted into an autonomous aircraft. The first was the VSR700, an uncrewed system developed from the Cabri G2 helicopter. The project reflects Airbus’ broader strategy to expand autonomous aviation capabilities.
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Airbus is also exploring advanced military applications for the U145. These include operating as a drone mothership capable of launching smaller airborne systems. For this capability, Airbus is partnering with missile manufacturer MBDA.
In the US, Airbus US Space & Defense is offering the MQ-72C to the US Marine Corps. The aircraft is a fully autonomous version of the UH-72B Lakota helicopter developed with partners Shield AI, L3 Harris, and Parry Labs. The program highlights growing interest in autonomous rotorcraft across defense sectors.
The U145 retains many advantages of the H145 platform. It is powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines and uses a Full Authority Digital Engine Control system for efficient engine management. The helicopter is also known for having one of the lowest noise levels and carbon emissions in its class.
Airbus has renamed its entire uncrewed aerial systems portfolio to align with its helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft families. As autonomous aviation gains momentum, the U145 is set to become an important part of future cargo, emergency response, and defense operations worldwide.
