An unmanned helicopter, which its creator claims will revolutionize everything from spraying crops to fighting fires all while saving lives, is taking flight. As revealed on Tuesday, Nov. 19, the so-called Sprayhawk needs no pilot. Developed by the U.S. startup Rotor, the helicopter relies on AI, sensors and communications systems, allowing a user to operate remotely from the ground.
“The most urgent need for our helicopters are places where there are lots of fatalities already, and that’s agriculture, that’s aerial firefighting, that’s offshore transport,” Hector Xu, Rotor Technologies founder and CEO, said. “What we’re able to do is to offer the same payload and capabilities that people are getting from manned aircraft with an unmanned solution, and that’s never happened before.”
Crop dusting and firefighting operations are reportedly some of the most dangerous flights for pilots. The U.S. National Transportation Board reports that 13 pilots were killed in agricultural operations from April to September 2024.
Xu says the 2,500-pound drone can “carry more than 1,000 pounds of payload.”
“We think this is going to change the world and we’re proud to be building it right here in Nashua, New Hampshire,” he said.
Rotor hopes to have as many as 20 choppers ready for the market in 2025. The company is currently working through the Federal Aviation Administration process to launch its helicopter to a larger market. The firm says it has already received federal approval to begin agricultural operations in the Midwest.
According to Rotor, technology still needs to be perfected, noting that the semi-autonomous aircraft could potentially pose a danger to pilots in areas with heavy air traffic, but the company said the initial plan is to stay in rural areas, minimizing that danger.
The company also has safeguards, including a button that shuts off the helicopter’s engine and initiates a controlled landing in case of an emergency.
On Wednesday, Nov. 20, Rotor reportedly plans to perform its first public flight tests with the Sprayhawk at an aviation trade show in Texas.
