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Leonardo Helicopters conducted the maiden flight of the Proteus autonomous helicopter for the UK Royal Navy at Predannack airfield in Cornwall on January 10-11. The flight, lasting 12 minutes, involved the aircraft operating independently of ground control.

Developed under a £60 million contract, Proteus aims to support roles such as anti-submarine warfare and cargo logistics as part of the Royal Navy's Maritime Aviation Transformation strategy. The helicopter, derived from the AW09 model, has a maximum take-off weight of 2,850 kg and is designed for operations in challenging weather.

Development began in 2022, with ground tests completed at Leonardo's Yeovil facility prior to the flight. The successful trials align with the UK's Strategic Defense Review objectives to integrate uncrewed systems into naval operations, particularly in North Atlantic security.