An unmanned helicopter platform includes a fuselage, a tail coupled with the fuselage, a payload rail coupled with and extending along the fuselage and a main rotor assembly coupled with the fuselage. The tail includes a tail rotor and a tail rotor motor. The main rotor assembly includes a main rotor having an axis of rotation and a main rotor motor. The payload rail allows mechanical connection of payloads to the fuselage and positioning of the payloads such that a center of gravity of the payloads is alignable with the axis of rotation. A system for controlling the unmanned helicopter includes a processor and a memory for providing instructions to the processor. The processor can receive a task, dynamically determine a route for the task and autonomously perform the task including flying along at least part of the route. The route is based on the task, geography and terrain.