Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Defense Department succesfully tests world's largest micro-drone swarm

Defense Department succesfully tests world's largest micro-drone swarm: U.S. military officials in California have conducted a test launching more than 100 micro-drones from three F/A-18 Super Hornets, the largest-ever test for the cutting-edge "swarm" technology, defense officials said.

The swarm consisted of 103 Perdix micro drones, which are small, low-cost, battery-powered devices, launched from three separate Super Hornets. The exercise was conducted at China Lake, California, by the Pentagon's Strategic Capabilities Office, or SCO, working with Naval Air Systems Command.

The micro-drones demonstrated advanced swarm behaviors such as "collective decision-making, adaptive formation flying, and self-healing," according to a Defense Department statement Monday.