"Rather than replacing the crew": Watch the 64-year-old Chinook execute a hands-free landing thanks to a pilotless brain update
The huge Chinook helicopter handles its own landing with precision
by https://www.techradar.com/uk/author/efosa-udinmwen · TechRadarNews By Efosa Udinmwen published 24 April 2026
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- A Chinook helicopter completed a landing with no pilot input
- Software-driven upgrades are transforming legacy military aircraft capabilities
- Precision landing accuracy reached less than 1.5 meters
A 64-year-old CH-47F Chinook helicopter has completed its first fully automated landing without any pilot input, marking a milestone for military aviation.
The demonstration, conducted with Boeing's Approach-to-X software, showed the heavy-lift helicopter performing precise landings using advanced flight control systems.
Rather than replacing the crew, the system functions as a supervised autonomy layer that allows pilots to define key parameters such as landing zone and approach angle.
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HELICÓPTERO DO EXÉRCITO DOS ESTADOS UNIDOS POUSA SOZINHO! - YouTube
How the autonomous landing system actually works
The aircraft autonomously manages flight control inputs while the crew focuses on tactical awareness and threat detection.
The A2X capability is built on Boeing's upgraded Digital Automatic Flight Control System architecture, which integrates advanced control laws and pilot-informed interface design.
The system replicates real-world pilot behavior during approach and landing phases by leveraging precision navigation inputs and flight control algorithms.
During initial flight testing that began in January 2026, the system performed more than 150 automated approaches with sub-five-foot positional accuracy.
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