Teaming for teaming: Airbus connects with Singapore for pioneering collaboration

Imagine a rescuer that could stay in the air for 14 hours, day and night, relaying videos and images, mapping terrain and supplying instant information to its colleagues - without getting tired or needing a break. Look no further than the Airbus Flexrotor, especially when it is working in perfect synchronisation with an H225M, thanks to HTeaming.

For a search and rescue mission, visibility could be the difference between life and death. So, in January 2026, an Airbus Flexrotor uncrewed aerial system (UAS) was teamed with a Republic of Singapore Air Force H225M for the very first time using Airbus’ HTeaming system, to simulate this vital operation. 

By using HTeaming, the Flexrotor could provide vital intelligence directly to the H225M’s crew where the pilots would also be able to directly command and control the drone, using a specialised datalink that enables immediate data processing without overloading the pilot’s workload. 

Relationship goals

Teaming brings significant advantages to Combat SAR & SAR missions. Firstly, in terms of situational awareness, it’s a game changer. The Flexrotor significantly extended the visual range beyond what can be seen from the helicopter it is linked to. It also minimises the chance of the helicopter crew being exposed to a high-risk environment, as it will have already surveyed the area. Finally, it facilitates quicker decision making as the data is received directly into the helicopter. This means pilots can take almost immediate action once they’ve seen something interesting or potentially found what they’re looking for.

The demonstration was conducted with the support of Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). Programme Manager Lim Jiaxu, explained the value add of HTeaming. “Teaming is a game changer for more dynamic operations. The increased stand-off distance isn’t just about safety, it’s also about mission effectiveness. Helicopter aircrew can obtain real-time data in order to make informed decisions.” 

For the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s MAJ Lim Ryan, Staff Officer in the Air Plans Department, the demonstration was extremely useful: “The Flexrotor UAS provided forward intelligence of the area of operations, enhancing the situational awareness of the aircrew, which enabled them to make real-time tactical decisions,improving threat reaction and increasing mission success, given the additional stand-off range that the Flexrotor provides.”

Motivated to make tomorrow’s missions more efficient

When it introduced HTeaming, conscious of its future importance, Airbus Helicopters designed it to be fully agnostic, compatible with any type of helicopter and to be able to take control of  any type of drone. Lim Jiaxu also recognises that this demonstration represents only part of the journey but it is hugely motivating to imagine what could come next. “This successful demo offers a glimpse into the exciting potential that teaming has to offer,” he enthused. “It drives DSTA to push further, working with Airbus and the RSAF to shape new solutions that could significantly enhance operations. This is just the beginning. We are already working with Airbus to push this technology further to enhance mission effectiveness for more complex missions.”