Derived from the company's two-seat Robinson R22, the R44 features hydraulically assisted flight controls and a larger engine.

In July 2002, Robinson introduced the Raven II featuring a more powerful, fuel-injected engine and wider blades, allowing a higher gross weight and improved altitude performance.

During November 2015 Robinson announced the Cadet, a Raven I with a cargo area instead of the two back seats, a slightly less powerful engine and a more efficient muffler.

Because of the size and weight of the R44 and the height of the tail from the ground, as compared to the R22, it is extremely difficult if not impossible for a single person to move the helicopter this way.

All models and years of the R44 include a 3⁄4-inch-diameter tow ball mounted on the bottom of the fuselage, near the front and offset slightly to the left.

Tow carts are available with no motive power, a gas engine or one or two electric motors operated from one or two batteries.

In 1997, a Robinson R44 was piloted by Jennifer Murray for the first helicopter circumnavigation of the world by a woman, covering a distance of 36,000 miles in 97 days.

[25] An accident investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) in March 2013 found, after analyzing historical data, that a significantly higher proportion of R44 aircraft (12%) caught fire after crashing, compared to accidents involving other types of piston-engine helicopters (7%).

The ATSB recommended that the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) take further action to urge R44 owners to fit bladder-type tanks.

[27] On 19 February 2015, the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority issued an Airworthiness Directive grounding 80 of the country's R44 helicopters after two people were killed in an accident traced to a particular type of main rotor blade, the P/N C016-7 or Dash 7, which a preliminary investigation determined had failed in flight.

The CAA determined through laboratory tests that the rotor blade had failed due to overload during the crash and was not the cause of the accident and the fleet was ungrounded on 24 February 2015.

Director of Civil Aviation Graeme Harris stated, "We don't want to see any complacency amongst operators as there is still a concern with these blades and we are waiting on test results from the USA before we review the Airworthiness notice.

3 of the 4 occupants survived, with the fatal victim being the ex-President of Chile Sebastián Piñera who was also the pilot of the accident helicopter.