The Nomad family from Sikorsky introduces VTOL drones with blown wings, MATRIX autonomy, Group 3/4, for ISR, support, and contested logistics.
Summary
Sikorsky presents Nomad, a family of VTOL drones with dual propellers and blown wings (rotor blown wing) that take off vertically “on their tail” before switching to horizontal flight. The manufacturer offers several sizes: a Nomad 50 (wingspan 3.1 m) already flew in 2025; the Nomad 100 (wingspan 5.5 m, Group 3 category) is beginning flight testing; a Nomad Group 4 has been approved in preliminary design review. The software core is based on MATRIX, Sikorsky’s autonomy system derived from DARPA programs (ALIAS, EVADE, ANCILLARY). Target missions: brigade/division ISR, light support (Hellfire, SDB), runway independence and contested logistics in the Indo-Pacific or from a frigate deck. The modular architecture (electric/hybrid propulsion, replaceable modules) is designed for maintenance by two to three operators via tablet, and sensor-shooter network integration with manned helicopters (UH-60M/SH-60, CH-53K). The challenge is clear: to produce, at a sustainable cost, long-endurance, rapidly deployable vehicles that can take over tasks currently performed by helicopters, freeing up crews for the most risky segments and increasing tactical density.
The concept and architecture: a blown wing to combine helicopter and airplane
The technical challenge of Nomad is to combine hovering and efficient cruising without a main rotor or complex fuselage tilt mechanism. The tail-sitter airframe is based on two proprotors at the end of a straight wing. During takeoff and landing, the thrust “blows” the wing (rotor blown wing) and generates lift at very low speeds, reducing the rotor disc and facilitating operation from a dock, clearing, or the deck of a destroyer. In transition, the aircraft pivots 90° and adopts an airplane flight mode: reduced drag, better glide ratio, higher cruising speed than a helicopter (operational objective: to remain below 250 kt for Group 3/4 classes while maximizing endurance).
The propulsion system varies according to size: purely electric for the Nomad 50 (gains in signature and maintenance), hybrid for the Nomad 100 (diesel generator + batteries) to extend the range and endurance at a limited weight. On the higher variants (future Group 4), a conventional powertrain provides energy density and payload capacity. The straight wings simplify the structure and the installation of external hardpoints (sensors, launched effects, logistics loads), while ensuring good stability during cruise.
The MATRIX autonomy system manages takeoff, transition, navigation, obstacle avoidance, approach, and landing. It has been tested on UH-60A/M and S-76 laboratories, then transferred to the rotor blown wing demonstrator and now to Nomad. This continuity reduces software risk and standardizes the operator interface: a tablet, a mission plan, and health monitoring. The modularity (“remove-and-replace”) of the power/avionics modules is designed for small team operations, with few boxes, simplified cabling, and integrated diagnostics. In terms of metrics, the announced wingspan increases from approximately 3.1 m (Nomad 50) to 5.5 m (Nomad 100); the Group 4 level is close to the volumes and usable areas of an MQ-1C (wingspan ~17 m) but in a VTOL tail-sitter configuration. The expected result: a platform that is simpler than a tiltrotor, faster than a helicopter, and suitable for sites without runways.
The DoD family and classes: Group 3/4 tailored for ISR and support
The US Department of Defense classifies drones into groups. Group 3: weight from 25 to 600 kg, normal altitude < 5,500 m (18,000 ft), speed < 460 km/h; Group 4: weight > 600 kg, same altitude, unrestricted speed. The Nomad 100 (wingspan ~5.5 m, typical weight ~150 kg) targets Group 3 and roles equivalent to the RQ-7B Shadow brigade (payload ~20–40 kg, endurance 8–9 hours, ceiling ~5,500 m) . The ambition is to provide the same ISR persistence, but with VTOL, i.e., deployment from a ship or a basic site. The Group 4 Nomad is aimed at the division/corps level, in the MQ-1C Gray Eagle category (endurance 25–30 hours, ceiling ~8,800 m, payload ~360–490 kg depending on sources), but with vertical takeoff and landing and decentralized operations over small areas.
In terms of armament, a Group 4 configuration can carry 4 Hellfire missiles (≈ 49 kg each) or 2 SDBs (≈ 113 kg each), in addition to sensors. On Group 3, “kinetic” support remains more limited, but the use of launched effects (disposable drones) opens up options: jamming, decoys, passive/active sensors, mini-charges against radars. This moves us from a “sensor drone” to a force multiplier that extends the sensor-shooter network. For the US Army, a brigade Nomad would gradually replace segments of the Shadow (catapult/recovery), lighten logistics, and reduce the footprint on the ground. For the US Navy and USMC, deployment from a DDG or logistics ship allows for lookout, relay, and light resupply missions without monopolizing an MH-60. In metric terms, these profiles translate into payloads of 40–200 kg depending on size, ranges of several hundred kilometers, and operating altitudes below 5,500 m to remain within the class and tactical requirements.
Missions and doctrine: ISR, light support, and contested logistics
Key missions cover three areas. 1/ Multi-level ISR: gyrostabilized EO/IR ball in the nose (laser designation, auto tracking), optional light SAR/GMTI radars, COM relay to extend VHF/UHF/TACSAT networks. In an Indo-Pacific theater, this allows for coastal surveillance, rapid threat detection (boats, cruise missiles in terminal phase) and illumination for naval/air strikes. 2/ Light support: on Group 4, 4 AGM-114s (≈ 49 kg, range 7–11 km) or 2 SDBs (≈ 113 kg, range > 110 km in glide) offer precision strikes on mobile/heavy targets, while preserving the manned platform. 3/ Contested logistics: the priority need. The US Army, USMC, and USAF are looking for compact VTOL vehicles capable of transporting “critical” loads (parts, batteries, blood, radios) between dispersed bases (ACE, EABO). A Nomad can take off from a 10 × 10 m concrete parking lot, deliver 30–120 kg to a location 150–300 km away, and return without any infrastructure.
The vertical/horizontal transition reduces the noise and heat signature during the most detectable phase (takeoff/approach). The MATRIX‘s autonomy allows for minimal ground crew flights and hand-off control transfer between units (brigade → division → corps) throughout the mission. Launched effects extend the range of active/passive sensors and saturate the adversary: false echoes, RF decoys, sector jamming, micro-strikes. For manned helicopters (UH-60M, MH-60R/S, CH-53K), Nomad removes routine and risky tasks (weather recon, light drops, mined corridors), while feeding the sensor-shooter loop. Crews remain on missions where humans still provide a decisive advantage—exfiltration, complex CSAR, multi-domain coordination.
Industrial choices and sustainability: weight, cost, and MCO in contact
Sikorsky is aiming for “family” production: the same blown wing logic, common interfaces, and homogeneous avionics, which creates economies of scale on sensors, computers, software, and links. The modularity of the power module (replaceable energy block) in particular reduces downtime. In austere areas, a team of two to three military personnel can replace a module, restart the self-test, and take off again. Fewer boxes = fewer breakdowns, faster diagnostics. In terms of operating costs, the hybrid reduces consumption during cruising; the pure electric version eliminates oil changes/filtration but reduces endurance. Larger sizes use conventional thermal units to remain airborne for more than 5–10 hours with a payload.
In terms of cost per effect, the interest is not in the isolated “price per hour,” but in the total cost of obtaining one hour of sensor time above a point, or of delivering 50 kg over 200 km in a threatened area. Based on this calculation, a Group 3 tail-sitter VTOL may prove more competitive than a light helicopter—less personnel, no runway, less heavy maintenance. Conversely, in rough seas, the requirements for wind resistance and precise control during deck approach require development (sea state sensors, control laws, power margins), which increases R&D costs. The trade-off is clear: accept a limited “mission basket” on Group 3, and devote Group 4 to heavy payloads (radar, weapons, cargo). On the network side, interoperability (STANAG, cryptographic keys) determines adoption by allied forces; it must be considered from the design stage onwards, otherwise you will end up with an excellent drone… isolated from the rest of the force system.
Capability implications: strengths, limitations, and blind spots
Technically, Nomad ticks all the current boxes: runway independence, persistence, distributed mass, integration with sensor-to-shooter networks. Strategically, it densifies the ISR and logistics framework at low human cost, which is important in a high-intensity conflict. In an island theater, a Group 3 platoon will cover arcs of 200–300 km, set up a curtain of sensors/decoys, and deliver critical payloads “just in time.” Limitations do exist. Tail-sitters remain sensitive to crosswinds during vertical approach; the “vertical fuselage” ergonomics require careful protection of sensors/antennas during hard landings. The Group 3 payload will not replace a helicopter for heavy cargo; Group 4 will have to demonstrate its deck/naval robustness and controlled RF/IR signature.
Tactically, adversaries will respond with passive sensors, RF listening, long-range optical-IR, and low-cost surface-to-air munitions. Hence the interest in launched effects to saturate, deceive, and disperse enemy fire. Finally, the illusion of a “drone that does everything” is dangerous: ISR, electronic warfare, and logistics require conflicting adjustments (altitude, payload, profiles). The right answer is not a single aircraft, but a coherent family, which is exactly the option chosen by Sikorsky. In the short term, the shift is likely: ISR/relay missions currently performed by UH-60/SH-60 will be transferred to Nomad. In the medium term, if Group 4 delivers on its promises of payload (~200–500 kg) and endurance (> 10 hours), we will see the emergence of light support and tactical resupply schemes where manned helicopters are only used as a last resort. This is rational, and it is the way of the future: providing large-scale air presence at a sustainable cost.
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