Targeted at the defense market, R66-based drones will be integrated with Skyryse’s SkyOS software to enable autonomous intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), manned unmanned teaming (MUM-T) and air-launched effects (ALE) missions.
The partnership was announced on June 24, 2026 between Skyryse and Robinson (both based in Southern California, less than 30 miles apart) to bring Robinson's experience With large-scale, time-critical manufacturing, Skyryse’s emerging expertise Advanced flight automation software.
“Defense agencies need autonomous aircraft that are reliable, affordable and available now, not years from now,” said Mark Groden, founder and CEO of Skyryse. “Robinson provides us with the production infrastructure that allows us to deliver at a cost and scale to meet real-world, time-critical needs. This partnership accelerates our ability to get proven, SkyOS-powered autonomous aircraft into the hands of defense operators.”
“Building the SkyOS-powered, R66-based 4-UAV is a natural extension of what Robinson does best, which is producing reliable, high-quality aircraft at scale,” said David Smith, president and CEO of Robinson Helicopter. “By integrating SkyOS into Robinson's production ecosystem, we are helping to bring advanced autonomy to a proven aircraft platform while creating a scalable pathway for future operational capabilities.”
The team will focus on developing the Rotary Wing Unmanned Air System (RWUAS) variant of the Robinson R66, a turbine-powered development of the early piston-powered R44 and very popular. Robinson Aviation can theoretically produce more than 1,000 aircraft per year – an average of about three per day – although the company has scheduled its regular operations at About 300 per year. R66 typically accounts for about a third of that production.
Although aimed primarily at the civilian market, the R66 generated interest from military customers. Most notably, the R66 is now used to train U.S. military pilots through the U.S. Navy's Contractor Operated Pilot Training-Rotational (COPT-R) program, for which it is designated the TH-66 Sage. R66 has also been proposed as The U.S. Army's next-generation helicopter trainer.
This isn't Skyryse's only experience with the R66 platform. The company already offers SkyOS avionics as a retrofit option to R66 customers. Skyryse calls the resulting product sky one. Unlike the base model R66, the Skyryse One has fly-by-wire controls (with triple redundancy). Skyryse says their system allows pilots of all skill levels to take control safely and claims the Skyryse One is “the safest helicopter in aviation.”
Likewise, Robinson's UAS division, Robinson Unmanned, has announced a partnership with Sikorsky in 2026 to produce a practical RWUAS variant of the R66, called turbine truck.
Unlike Sikorsky, which offers civilian and military cargo drones, Skyryse appears to be targeting the growing market for RWUAS as ISR and weapons/launch effects platforms. In that respect it would be closer to an airplane like MQ-8 Fire Scout or Leonardo's Proteus.
sky crystal
Aviation startup Skyryse was founded in 2016 and has since formed partnerships with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire), Mitsubishi Corporation, United Rotorcraft and the U.S. Army. Several investors, including Ford Motor Co.'s Bill Ford and the Qatar Investment Authority, have poured more than $605 million into the business.
Headquartered in California @skyryse It said on Thursday it plans to introduce a universal emergency auto-landing feature for all aircraft, including fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, that can be activated with just a tap of a touch screen. https://t.co/iDUPoqrcwb pic.twitter.com/KpqSC5UOZg
— Flying Magazine (@FlyingMagazine) March 6, 2026
Its SkyOS platform is designed to fit any aircraft type, including fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. For added safety, SkyOS features an automatic engine failure management system, mid-air restart and always-on flight envelope protection. Its automated features include touchscreen controls for engine starting and automatic takeoff and landing.
A single flight control stick replaces the helicopter's traditional joystick, cyclic pedals and rudder pedals – the system's software is designed to interpret the pilot's input and operate the aircraft accordingly. Of course, this means that adapting a SkyOS-equipped aircraft to an unmanned platform will be relatively simple, as all the programming for physically controlling the aircraft is already in place.
ICYMI: We recently had @markgrodenCEO @skyryse On the deep valley.
Skyryse is building a common operating system for aircraft to significantly simplify flying, reduce pilot burden and enable fully autonomous operation when needed.
Goal: Turn helicopters and planes into… pic.twitter.com/XuzHZXIVtq
— Mo Islam (@itsmoislam) June 2, 2026
For military customers, advanced autopilot systems like SkyOS will have powerful applications in reducing pilot workload in high-intensity environments, although in many cases pilots will express a preference for more direct control of the aircraft and the ability to override computer systems when necessary. A pilot who can rely on his or her aircraft to fly safely is a pilot who can simultaneously operate and command other systems, whether weapons, ISR sensors, or drones.
It was an honor to host U.S. Army leaders at Skyryse to experience SkyOS firsthand.
We had a productive discussion on the role of aviation automation in improving mission effectiveness, reliability and operational flexibility on the modern battlefield.
This visit includes… pic.twitter.com/XWU1B2vLm9
— Skyryse (@skyryse) June 18, 2026
In 2025, Skyryse demonstrated a plane flying UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter The SkyOS system has been configured. There is no doubt that this will be a key part of future collaboration with the above partners Cal Fire and the U.S. Army.
SkyOS has also been integrated into the Robinson R44 and is being trialled by law enforcement agencies. one Cirrus SR-22 It will become the first fixed-wing SkyOS aircraft in October 2025. Plans are already in place for future integration into the Pilatus PC-12 as well as Bell 407, Airbus H-125 and H-130 helicopters.
