Airbus Helicopters is preparing to introduce the U145, an uncrewed version of its proven H145 helicopter, at the ILA Berlin Air Show.
The company will display a full-scale mock-up of the new model during the exhibition, positioning the U145 as a new autonomous rotorcraft solution for both civil and military missions.
ILA Berlin 2026 will be held from June 10 to 14, bringing together aerospace, defense, space and unmanned systems companies in Germany. The event is expected to place strong emphasis on future aviation, drones, defense technologies and European technological sovereignty.
Uncrewed Version of the H145
The U145 is based on Airbus’ H145 helicopter family, which is already widely used in military, parapublic and civil missions around the world.
Unlike the crewed H145, the U145 will not have a physical cockpit. Instead, Airbus is adapting the platform for autonomous operations with a specialized sensor suite, artificial intelligence and structural changes designed primarily for cargo missions.
The aircraft will include an integrated nose door with a foldable loading table and a dedicated cargo floor, making it suitable for logistics missions where high-volume autonomous resupply is required.
Airbus plans the U145’s first flight with a safety pilot onboard by the end of 2026. Entry into service is targeted for the beginning of the next decade.
Designed for Cargo, Surveillance and Military Missions
The U145 has a maximum take-off weight of 3,800 kg and is being developed as a mission-agnostic platform for civil and military applications.
Its primary role is expected to be high-volume cargo supply. However, the modular structure of the aircraft will allow it to be adapted for a wider mission set, including disaster management, firefighting, armed scouting, surveillance and crewed-uncrewed teaming.
The platform is also being considered for drone mothership missions. In this role, U145 could carry and deploy air-launched effects, extending its operational value beyond logistics and surveillance.
Airbus is working with MBDA on this concept, which could give the helicopter a future role in distributed air operations and network-enabled combat missions.
Part of Airbus’ Wider Uncrewed Helicopter Strategy
The U145 is the second crewed helicopter Airbus is converting into an uncrewed platform.
The first was VSR700, which is derived from the Cabri G2 helicopter. With U145, Airbus is moving into a heavier and more capable unmanned rotorcraft class.
The company says it will work with leading autonomous mission partners to further expand Europe’s unmanned aerial systems ecosystem.
In the United States, Airbus U.S. Space & Defense is also working with Shield AI, L3Harris and Parry Labs on the MQ-72C, a fully autonomous version of the Lakota UH-72B tailored to U.S. Marine Corps requirements.
H145 Heritage
The U145 benefits from the operational record of the H145 family.
More than 1,800 H145 family helicopters are currently in service worldwide, with the fleet exceeding 8.5 million flight hours.
Powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines and equipped with full authority digital engine control, the H145 is known for its mission flexibility, low acoustic footprint and efficient operation.
By using the H145 as the baseline, Airbus is aiming to reduce development risk while offering customers a familiar airframe with a new autonomous mission architecture.
Strategic Importance
The U145 reflects a growing trend in military aviation: larger unmanned aircraft are being developed not only for intelligence and strike missions, but also for logistics, resupply and crewed-uncrewed operations.
For armed forces, autonomous helicopters could reduce risk to personnel during dangerous cargo missions, forward-area resupply, disaster response and operations in contested environments.
For Airbus, the U145 strengthens its unmanned systems portfolio and positions the company in a market where military users are increasingly looking for autonomous aircraft capable of carrying meaningful payloads.
With U145, Airbus is turning one of its most proven light twin helicopters into a new-generation uncrewed platform for the logistics and multi-mission requirements of the 2030s.
