Sikorsky Unveils Nomad Family of UAS designed to land anywhere

The increasing threat to drone crews means they are often hunted and seen as priority targets. For this reason, drones must be able to take off and land from difficult, unpredictable places, improving survivability and mission flexibility. This appears to be a key driving force behind the Nomad UAS from Sikorsky. 

Sikorsky, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, has revealed its new Nomad family of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) in an October 6 press release, less than a year after successfully demonstrating the flight efficiency of its prototype rotor blown wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) technology. The Nomad UAS features a twin proprotor design that allows them to combine the functionality of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing aeroplane, the press release states. This novel design permits the aircraft to take off, hover, and land vertically, as well as cruise on the wing for extended periods.

But what exactly is a rotor blown wing? In simple terms, a regular aircraft generates lift through movement. The propeller creates thrust that enables the wing to generate lift when the aircraft is moving fast enough. A rotor blown wing, however, directs the airflow from the propeller directly over the wing to generate lift. This means that the aircraft can generate lift whilst moving very slowly, or even hover in the case of the Nomad. A conventional fixed wing UAS by contrast has to keep moving. 

The UAS are controlled via Sikorsky’s MATRIX™ autonomy technology and use predominantly hybrid-electric propulsion for the smaller models, while larger variants will feature a more conventional drivetrain, the press release states. Rich Benton, Sikorsky Vice President and General Manager, noted that the term “family” refers to the design’s ability to be scaled significantly in size—from a small Group 3 UAS up to a size equivalent to a Black Hawk helicopter. This adaptability is intended to allow the drones to operate in land and sea-based missions for defence, national security, forestry, and civilian organisations.

Dan Shidler, director of Advanced Programs, stated that the company has adopted a rapid approach to development, acting on feedback from the Pentagon to create a family of drones that can take off and land virtually anywhere and execute missions autonomously.

Tech profile: Nomad UAS

The 10.3-ft wingspan prototype Nomad 50 aircraft is shown in flight test in spring 2025. Photo courtesy, Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company.

Nomad UAS are designed for roles including reconnaissance, light attack, and contested logistics. The family is scalable from a Group 3 UAS (ranging from 25 kg [56 pounds] to 600 kg [1,320 pounds]) up to Group 4 and Group 5 sizes (600 kg [1,320 pounds] and above). The company’s initial prototype, the Nomad 50, which has a 3.1-m (10.3-ft) wingspan, successfully completed its extended flight test in March 2025. Sikorsky is now manufacturing the Nomad 100, a 5.5-m (18-ft) wingspan variant in the Group 3 category, with its first flight expected in the coming months. 

The core of the system’s flight control is the MATRIX autonomy technology, developed in collaboration with DARPA. This open system is compatible with both rotary and fixed-wing aircraft and has already been demonstrated in various applications, including as part of the potential modernisation of the Blackhawk helicopter.

Calibre comment: Resupply is a growth area for UAS

As already noted, drone crews are a priority target in Ukraine, and will likely continue to be so. The Russians might use techniques like reverse-tracking a drone back to its landing point in an effort to find a Ukrainian drone crew. They will also use radio frequency detection to try and locate the ground control system and engage them. If a drone is very large and runway dependent, like the UK’s Watchkeeper was, and the MQ-9Bs are, then it is theoretically possible that their runways will be quickly degraded and damaged, leading to a loss of sorties. The benefits of taking off and landing anywhere are hopefully relatively clear as a result. But another thing to consider is the role of larger UAS in resupply. This is already being considered and explored in both operational and training contexts. But the ability to move supplies autonomously is likely a growth area for mid- to large UAS. They have already been used in the strike and reconnaissance roles, which is well-understood, however the potential benefits of autonomous resupply at scale are less well-explored and could hold promise. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on October 6, 2025. The lead image represents the Nomad UAS family and its growth potential. Credit: Lockheed Martin.