Lockheed Martin Sikorsky Unveils the Nomad: A Family of Long-Endurance, Runway-Independent Drones

Less than a year after demonstrating the flight efficiency and reliability of its groundbreaking rotor-blown wing VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) drone, Sikorsky—a Lockheed Martin company—has introduced the Nomad, a futuristic family of uncrewed aircraft designed to redefine endurance, flexibility, and autonomy in the skies.

A New Generation of Autonomous Flight

The Nomad family combines the best of both worlds: the vertical agility of a helicopter and the long-range speed of a fixed-wing aircraft. Its twin proprotor configuration enables the Nomad to take off, hover, and land vertically like a helicopter, then transition seamlessly to efficient forward flight on its wings for extended missions.

At the heart of the Nomad’s innovation lies Sikorsky’s MATRIX™ autonomy technology—a cutting-edge system that enables highly reliable, self-directed flight. Combined with a hybrid-electric propulsion system, the Nomad platform promises exceptional endurance, low operating costs, and the ability to operate from virtually anywhere—on land, at sea, or in remote terrain—without the need for a runway.

Scalable Design for Every Mission

According to Rich Benton, Sikorsky’s Vice President and General Manager, scalability is the defining strength of the Nomad family. “We use the term ‘family’ to point to a key attribute of the design—its ability to be scaled in size from a small Group 3 UAS to the footprint equivalent of a Black Hawk helicopter,” Benton explained. “The resulting Nomad family of drones will be adaptable, go-anywhere, runway-independent aircraft capable of land and sea-based missions across defence, national security, forestry, and civilian organisations.”

From small, tactical operations to large-scale logistics or reconnaissance missions, the Nomad is designed to complement crewed aircraft such as the Black Hawk, serving as a force multiplier in complex operations—particularly across regions like the Indo-Pacific, where flexibility and endurance are vital to maintaining a strategic edge.

From Prototype to Full Flight

Sikorsky’s journey toward the Nomad family began with the Nomad 50, a prototype featuring a 10.3-foot wingspan that completed extended flight tests in March 2025. Building on that success, the company is now developing the Nomad 100, an 18-foot wingspan aircraft classified as a Group 3 UAS. The first flight of the Nomad 100 is expected in the coming months.

The Nomad family’s modular architecture allows it to scale from Group 3 UAS (56 to 1,320 pounds) up to Group 4/5 systems (1,320 pounds and beyond). Smaller variants are powered by hybrid-electric drivetrains, while larger aircraft will use conventional propulsion systems—offering flexibility across mission profiles and endurance requirements.

MATRIX Autonomy: The Brain Behind the Nomad

The Nomad’s autonomy backbone, MATRIX technology, is an open, adaptable system developed by Sikorsky Innovations in collaboration with DARPA. MATRIX enables uncrewed or optionally piloted operations across both rotary and fixed-wing platforms. It has already been proven in real-world applications such as aerial firefighting, logistics resupply, and advanced aerial mobility.

This open architecture not only future-proofs the Nomad but also allows for easy integration with existing and emerging mission systems, ensuring that the aircraft can evolve alongside the rapidly advancing landscape of autonomous aviation.

The Future of Runway-Independent Flight

With the introduction of the Nomad family, Sikorsky is positioning itself at the forefront of the next revolution in aerial operations. The blend of hybrid propulsion, scalable design, and advanced autonomy makes the Nomad a strong contender for defence and civilian roles that demand long endurance, flexibility, and independence from traditional infrastructure. Whether deployed for surveillance, cargo, reconnaissance, or disaster response, the Nomad promises to expand the boundaries of what’s possible for uncrewed aircraft—offering a new class of drones that can go farther, stay longer, and operate anywhere.

As Sikorsky continues development of the Nomad 100 and beyond, the company’s vision is clear: to deliver a family of smart, sustainable, and runway-free aircraft that redefine the future of autonomous flight. Would you like me to tailor this blog post for a specific audience — for example, aviation enthusiasts, defence professionals, or general tech readers? I can adjust tone and structure accordingly (e.g., more technical, more narrative, or more marketing-focused).