Sikorsky Introduces Aircraft with Matrix Technology

Sikorsky announced on October 6th the creation of the Nomad family of unmanned aircraft. The design combines characteristics of a helicopter and an airplane, with vertical takeoff and landing, hovering capabilities, and sustained cruise flight using fixed wings. The Nomad is a vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aerial system (VTOL UAS) with two propeller rotors. The model primarily uses hybrid-electric propulsion, while larger versions will feature conventional engines. Operation is based on the Matrix autonomy system, developed in partnership with DARPA, the Pentagon’s military development agency, which allows integration with rotary and fixed-wing aircraft. The designation “family” is associated with the modularity of the project, capable of ranging from the size of a Group 3 UAS, weighing between 25 and 600 kilograms, to versions equivalent in dimensions to a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, reaching Groups 4 and 5. The aircraft were designed for reconnaissance, light attack, logistics missions in contested environments, as well as civilian applications such as fighting forest fires and transport in isolated regions. In March, Sikorsky successfully completed the extended flight of the Nomad 50 prototype, with a 3.1-meter wingspan. The company is currently building the Nomad 100, a 5.5-meter wingspan version, whose first flight is scheduled for the coming months. The Matrix system has already been validated in firefighting, logistical resupply, and advanced air mobility operations. Sikorsky’s proposal is to expand its reach into military and civilian scenarios, offering aircraft capable of operating on land or at sea without the need for airport infrastructure. According to the manufacturer, the Nomads are intended to act as force multipliers, operating in conjunction with manned platforms, particularly in strategic scenarios in the Indo-Pacific and other regions of operational interest. – https://aeromagazine.uol.com.br/artigo/sikorsky-drones-nomad-vtol-propulsao-hibrida.html