U.S. Army helicopter lands on a self-driving barge at sea

In late September, a massive 54,000-pound twin-rotor Boeing MH-47G Chinook helicopter touched down on an uncrewed, self-driving vessel at sea and completed a resupply operation for the first time. 🔥🚀

This giant transport machine, often called a flying banana, has been hauling heavy loads into tough places since the 1960s. Until now, these special operations helicopters relied entirely on fixed land bases or large crewed ships to get fuel during long missions.

The test was organized with Sea Machines Robotics, a company that builds self-navigation systems for ships. Using an unmanned barge means the military can extend helicopter reach across remote ocean areas without risking extra personnel on a floating supply platform.

#tech #military #innovation

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