"The Unmanned K-MAX® named one of the 50 Best Inventions of 2011 by Time Magazine
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The aircraft was lauded for providing “a safer way to supply troops deep inside hostile territory.” The Unmanned K-MAX recently became the first-ever U.S. Marine Corps unmanned aircraft system to deploy in an operational environment having arrived in Afghanistan.
Since partnering in 2007, Lockheed Martin and Kaman Aerospace have successfully transformed Kaman’s proven K-MAX power-lift manned helicopter into a UAS capable of autonomous or remote controlled cargo delivery. Kaman designed the K-MAX platform, and Lockheed Martin has designed the helicopter’s mission management and control systems to provide the K-MAX with exceptional flight autonomy in remote environments and over long distances.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s 2010 sales from continuing operations were $45.8 billion.
Kaman Helicopters is a division of Kaman Aerospace Corporation, a subsidiary of Kaman Corporation. Founded in 1945 by aviation pioneer Charles H. Kaman, and headquartered in Bloomfield, Connecticut, the Company conducts business in the aerospace and industrial distribution markets."
http://www.kaman.com/news/the-unmanned-k-max-named-one-of-the-50-best-inventions-of-2011-by-time-magazine/
Lockheed Martin claimed in January 2012 that K-MAX has delivered 100,000 pounds of cargo in 50 unmanned missions.