WELL THIS IS THE 21ST CENTURY, YOU KNOW: The Marine Corps Is Testing a Fully Autonomous Huey Helicopter.

The tests, which took place in late November, involved a hardware and software kit known as Autonomous Aerial Cargo/Utility System (AACUS) which includes both hardware and software and can be installed on any rotary wing aircraft. The Marines currently fly three different helicopters: the CH-53E Super Stallion heavy transport helicopter, the AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopter, and the UH-1Y utility/light attack helicopter.

The hardware side of the AACUS kit involves a LiDAR sensor for ranging and ground mapping, and cameras for obstacle avoidance and route planning. According to USNI News, the hardware used were commercial, off-the-rack components easily sourced in the civilian market. The software, including flight algorithms, was developed by Aurora.

The autonomous tests consisted of three simulated missions, in which the unmanned UH-1H “Huey,” given guidance by Marine infantrymen with just “mere hours” of instruction by Aurora engineers, flew supplies to a remote outpost. The Marines interacted with the Huey via a tablet and laptop computer.

Not bad for a platform which first flew in 1956.