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What is MATRIX? New autonomous Black Hawk helicopter system draws scrutiny in wake of D.C. crash

The nature of last night’s crash caused massive speculation.

Photo of Mikael Thalen

Mikael Thalen

Black hawk helicopter over matrix like grid
(Licensed)

A new technology for autonomously operating aircraft dubbed “MATRIX” is drawing scrutiny across social media after a commercial airliner collided with a military helicopter in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.

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Shortly before 9:00pm ET, a U.S. Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk with three soldiers on board crashed into an American Airlines flight carrying 64 passengers during its final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

The accident, captured on surveillance video, produced a violent explosion before both aircraft plunged into the Potomac River. Authorities believe there were no survivors, with an estimated 67 fatalities.

While it’s much too early to know with certainty what factors led to the fateful collision, accounts on X and Truth Social keep mentioning MATRIX.

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What is MATRIX autonomy?

MATRIX is a technology jointly produced by defense contractor Lockheed Martin and the government’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

The technology, according to Lockheed Martin, “enables rotary and fixed-wing aircraft to be flown with or without humans on board.”

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In mid-October 2022, three flights were conducted at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground with Black Hawk helicopters “to demonstrate resupply and casualty evacuation by an autonomous utility helicopter,” the defense contractor said.

“Loaded with 14 boxes containing 400 units (500 lbs./226 kg) of real and simulated blood rigged to the cabin floor, the aircraft flew 83 miles (133 km),” the company added. “During the 50-minute flight, the aircraft descended as low as 200 feet (61 m) above ground level through valley terrain to mask its signature while maintaining 100 knots airspeed.”

In October 2024, Lockheed Martin demonstrated further autonomous flights with Black Hawk helicopters at the Association of the United States Army Exposition in Washington, D.C.

While the technology has also been demonstrated to aid firefighters in dropping water from aircraft, the primary focus appears military-related. The U.S. Marine Corps, according to Sikorsky Vice President Rich Benton, is next in line for MATRIX demonstrations.

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“Aircraft with MATRIX autonomy can safely and reliably perform a variety of complex missions, including internal and external cargo transport with no one on board,” said Benton in December. “With the Marine Corps, we will explore how an autonomy-based fleet of uncrewed aerial systems, rotary and fixed wing aircraft can sustain the expeditionary force with precision resupply during distributed, high-tempo operations.”

And given the surprising nature of the crash, a sophisticated military aircraft seeming to ram straight into a passenger plane, posters’ minds jumped to MATRIX.

“How does a Blackhawk Helicopter casually run into a commercial airliner?” asked one person.

“Matrix flight autonomy system by Lockheed Martin comes to mind,” responded a person.

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While there is no evidence that the crash on Wednesday involved MATRIX, the project continues to garner attention as investigators look into the deadly mishap.


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