European aerospace giant Airbus has converted its widely used H145 helicopter, a platform operated even by Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs, into an unmanned aircraft designated the U145. The new system is being positioned for logistics, surveillance, emergency-response missions, and potentially as a mothership capable of deploying and supporting other drones.
According to Airbus, a full-scale mock-up of the unmanned helicopter will be displayed at the ILA Berlin Air Show 2026. The first flight is planned for late 2026 with a safety pilot on board, while operational service is not expected until the early 2030s.
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Images released by the company show that the U145 is clearly derived from the standard H145. The original side doors remain visible, while the front cockpit section has been redesigned. The pilot seats have been replaced by forward cargo doors featuring a fold-down ramp, and the interior has been optimized to carry up to 1,200 kg of payload.
The concept of using the aircraft as a carrier for other UAVs is particularly notable. Airbus is already developing similar capabilities for its A400M transport aircraft, suggesting that the company views drone deployment from larger airborne platforms as an important future capability.
Airbus states that the U145 will feature a dedicated sensor suite and artificial intelligence enabling fully autonomous operation. In the company's demonstration video, an operator can be seen using switches mounted on a side panel, including controls for engine start-up, before confirming flight readiness via a touchscreen interface.
Overall, the concept closely resembles the U-Hawk, also known as the S-70 UAS, an unmanned version of the UH-60 Black Hawk unveiled by Sikorsky in late 2025. Like the U145, the American design replaces the traditional cockpit with a cargo access section equipped with a ramp.
One of the key advantages promoted for the U.S. system is its ability to be converted from existing helicopters already in service. Airbus does not explicitly mention such a capability for the U145, but it is reasonable to assume that a similar approach may be possible.
Some observers may point out that the United States has been working on unmanned Black Hawk concepts for years, making the American project appear more mature. However, Europe is not lagging behind in this field.
Airbus, together with Shield AI, L3Harris, and Parry Labs, is developing the MQ-72C for the U.S. Marine Corps. The MQ-72C is an unmanned derivative of the UH-72B Lakota, itself the U.S. military version of the H145. Importantly, that aircraft completed its first flight in August 2025.
Given the similarities between the projects, it is possible that the U145 leverages technologies and experience gained through Airbus' work on the MQ-72C. In that sense, the new platform could represent an adaptation of capabilities originally developed for the U.S. market and now being offered to European customers. Even so, operational deployment remains several years away.
The H145 is currently used by Ukraine's National Police and the State Emergency Service. Furthermore, maintenance of these helicopters, along with other Airbus rotorcraft in Ukrainian service, is set to be handled by the state-owned Ukrainian Defense Industry company.
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