Army Mandated to Convert 3 Helicopters for Two-Year Self-Flying Test Program

The Helicopter Operational Versatility and Enhanced Readiness Act of 2025, or the HOVER Act, is basically telling the U.S. Army to get serious about self-flying helicopters. Specifically, this bill mandates a two-year operational experimentation program focused on Optionally Piloted Vehicles (OPVs)—rotary-wing aircraft that can fly with or without a pilot. The goal is to figure out how these autonomous birds hold up in combat zones, what kind of cost and maintenance savings they offer, and how they fit into the Army’s future operational plans. The clock starts ticking 180 days after the bill becomes law.

The Future is Flying Itself

Within that two-year window, the Army must take at least three of its existing helicopters and convert them into OPVs for testing. Think of it as a high-stakes, real-world science project. This isn't just about cool tech; it's about logistics and efficiency. If a helicopter can fly itself on routine or dangerous missions, it saves money on training and personnel, and more importantly, it keeps pilots out of harm's way. The testing, which must happen in designated Department of Defense airspace, is supposed to align with and inform the Army’s existing autonomy research efforts, like ACES and MAA, making sure this isn't just a one-off experiment but part of a bigger strategy.

Who’s Footing the Bill and Calling the Shots

The Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology is running this show, working with the Program Executive Office for Aviation. They aren't doing it alone, though; the Army is explicitly allowed to partner with defense companies, universities, and research institutions to speed up the tech development. This collaboration is meant to ensure the OPV tech integrates smoothly into the larger “Joint All-Domain Operations” framework—the military’s plan for coordinating efforts across air, land, sea, space, and cyber.

The Check-In with Congress

Congress wants to see the homework. Within one year of the law’s enactment, the Secretary of the Army must report back to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees. This report needs to cover the progress on converting those three helicopters and the initial results from the testing. Crucially, it must include findings on the OPVs' efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and combat effectiveness, along with any recommendations for buying more of these self-flying platforms down the line. This is where the rubber meets the road: the Army has to show that converting these aircraft is actually worth the investment.

The Flexibility Clause

There’s a bit of an escape hatch built into the bill. The Secretary of the Army retains the flexibility to change the scope of the program, the specific aircraft they test, or the way the experiments are run, provided those changes help the program align with the Army’s overall service priorities and long-term modernization goals. While this flexibility is necessary in a fast-moving tech environment, it means the Army could potentially pivot the program if priorities change, which is something Congress will need to keep an eye on when they review those annual reports.