A US soldier was the first warfighter to execute real-world military mission exercises, using Lockheed Martin Sikorsky’s autonomous optionally piloted Black Hawk helicopter, powered by Matrix Technology.

The Cirrus SR22, VH-MSF, had four people on board when it stalled shortly after take-off from Canberra on 6 October 2023 before entering a spin and hitting the ground near Gundaroo, where its remains were consumed by fire. All occupants, including the pilot and three passengers, were killed.

Catriona Larritt, who was promoted from executive manager of Qantas Freight when Vanessa Hudson took over as chief executive in 2023, is set to leave the Flying Kangaroo to “pursue external opportunities” at the end of the year, Hudson revealed in a note to employees.

Lockheed Martin said the X-59 performed “exactly as planned” on its test flight from its Skunk Works facility in Palmdale to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Centre in Edwards, California, this week. It follows taxi testing in Palmdale earlier this year.