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Lockheed Martin Sikorsky Introduces Nomad Family of Long-Endurance, Runway-Independent Drones
The Nomad family can be scaled from a Group 3 UAS (56 pounds to 1,320 pounds) to Group 4/5 (1,320 pounds and up).
www.lockheedmartin.com
The Nomad family of VTOL drones can be scaled in size for a variety of sea and land-based missions. Rendering courtesy, Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company.
Less than a year after proving the flight efficiency and reliability of a novel rotor blown wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS), Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin unveils its Nomad™ future family of aircraft.
The twin proprotor design combines the versatility of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing airplane. A Nomad aircraft can take off, hover, and land vertically, plus cruise on the wing for extended periods. Nomads are operated via Sikorsky’s MATRIX™ autonomy technology and predominantly use hybrid-electric propulsion, while larger variants will feature a conventional drivetrain.
Sikorsky announced in March 2025 the successful extended flight test of its 10.3-ft wingspan prototype Nomad 50 aircraft. Today, Sikorsky is building its Nomad 100 aircraft. This is a Group 3, 18-ft wingspan variant with first flight expected in the coming months.
Nomad VTOL UAS
Less than a year after proving the flight efficiency and reliability of a novel rotor blown wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS), Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin unveils its Nomad™ future family of aircraft.
The twin proprotor design combines the versatility of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing airplane. A Nomad aircraft can take off, hover, and land vertically, plus cruise on the wing for extended periods. Nomads are operated via Sikorsky’s MATRIX™ autonomy technology and predominantly use hybrid-electric propulsion, while larger variants will feature a conventional drivetrain.
Sikorsky announced in March 2025 the successful extended flight test of its 10.3-ft wingspan prototype Nomad 50 aircraft. Today, Sikorsky is building its Nomad 100 aircraft. This is a Group 3, 18-ft wingspan variant with first flight expected in the coming months.
Nomad VTOL UAS
- Nomad UAS are designed for reconnaissance, light attack, contested logistics and more.
- The Nomad family can be scaled from a Group 3 UAS (56 pounds to 1,320 pounds) to Group 4/5 (1,320 pounds and up). The Nomad family is powered by fuel-efficient hybrid-electric drivetrains, with larger variants featuring a conventional drivetrain.
- MATRIX technology, developed by Sikorsky Innovations and DARPA, is an open system, which allows seamless integration with rotary and fixed-wing aircraft. MATRIX has already been demonstrated across a range of applications, including aerial firefighting, logistics resupply, and advanced aerial mobility.
