Though not as formidable as many of the drones currently utilized by the U.S. Air Force (USAF), this modest device holds the distinction, perhaps boasting of being the drone with the fastest conception to flight time in history. The recent revelations from the conflict in Ukraine have underscored the enduring importance of drones for the American military.
However, it’s not the large, conspicuous drones used for surveillance and long-range strikes that are in focus, but rather the diminutive ones capable of inconspicuously accessing any location to deliver payloads or supplies from above.
Observing how both Ukrainian and Russian forces employ drones, the U.S. military is now exploring their integration into its strategy. Yet, this presents a formidable challenge: designing a small drone versatile enough to perform myriad tasks in hostile environments. Or does it?
The result? An eight-pound drone is configurable for various mission parameters. Over the course of a week, the team tested six different variants, employing a rapid build-and-deployment approach. While not all flights proceeded as anticipated (some ended in crashes), the tests demonstrated the USAF’s capacity to rapidly produce multi-role drones.
Remarkably, even in cases of mishap, the drones retained functional autonomy hardware, enabling easy reassembly at a cost of up to $50 a potentially significant advantage for the military. Research on these rapid-build drones continues, with plans to present findings to the Air Force Secretary and Chief of Staff imminently.
