Sikorsky to integrate MATRIX™ autonomy into BETA Technologies’ MV250

Connecticut-based Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, has announced that it will integrate its proven MATRIX™ autonomy suite into BETA Technologies’ ALIA MV250 Hybrid-Vertical‑Take‑Off‑and‑Landing (HVTOL) aircraft. Sikorsky and BETA formally agreed to this initiative earlier this month and have begun MV250 integration and development.

The MV250 fills the middleweight logistics gap for customers, handling rapid, uncrewed resupply in contested environments. It leverages the commercial investment and pedigree of the ALIA family of civil and military aircraft combined with a hybrid powertrain. The MV250 leverages a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) to systems architecture which enhanced the speed to MATRIX autonomy integration while offering an inherently multi-mission, utility platform.

The ALIA family of aircraft share a common flight control architecture and MATRIX autonomy is an open-architecture system designed for easy integration with other flight control frameworks. Ongoing flight testing will expand the flight envelope and prove the reliability of the MATRIX autonomy suite paired with BETA’s in-house built flight control system, says Lockheed Martin.

“Integrating the MATRIX autonomy stack into the MV250 is another step forward in providing a range of solutions for contested logistics missions, which we have demonstrated in autonomous operations since 2021,” said Rich Benton, vice president and general manager of Sikorsky. “All platforms equipped with MATRIX autonomy can be commanded using the same interface, giving operators the ability seamlessly to manage various systems with just a few taps. MATRIX technology represents an opportunity to get safe, reliable, certifiable autonomy into a range of platforms as quickly as possible.”

“The MV250 is low cost, high speed and simple and designed for autonomous integration,” said Kyle Clark, founder and chief executive officer of BETA Technologies. “Bringing MATRIX autonomy onto the MV250 combines those investments into a platform that can do high-risk missions without putting personnel at risk.”

Sikorsky has been building on its contested logistics expertise utilizing autonomous systems since 2021. The system has become the industry standard for autonomous flight, says Sikorsky, accumulating more than 1,000 flight hours, 500 successful tests and demonstrations and training 100+ operators across the Department of War and firefighting communities. To date, MATRIX autonomy has been integrated on 20+ different platforms, proving its flexibility and robustness in the most demanding environments.

The MATRIX autonomy system forms the core of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) ALIAS (Aircrew Labor In-cockpit Automation System) program.