U.S. Army during Ivy Mass exercises held in May this year tested how one operator can simultaneously control mixed swarm of different drone types, demonstration of such technology was conducted by Palladyne AI using SwarmOS software responsible for autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle control.
As Military AI reports, range of different drones were united into single swarm, both reconnaissance and Gremlin-X mini-bomber types. All this was connected to next-generation command and control system NGC2, enabling real-time data exchange across entire command network. Artificial intelligence systems were responsible for significant coordination portion.
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Moreover, as Palladyne AI emphasized, SwarmOS software was integrated on hardware with limited size, mass and power consumption.
Company Technical Director and co-founder Denis Gagarich emphasized that specifically during this demonstration they managed to overcome fundamental technical threshold regarding autonomous control.
Defense Express notes that in modern dynamic battlefield conditions such technologies enable best shortening time between target detection and engagement, and this involves not only forces and assets in specific swarm but also if needed (for example, if more powerful strike assets must be engaged for target destruction) transferring information to other units.
Regarding Gremlin-X drones used in swarm during exercises, these are ordinary small bomber drones representing FPV drone with munition suspended beneath it.
This is also Palladyne AI product, which as noted is at development stage. Equipped with AI system, can operate in GPS signal absence conditions, with high-precision low-cost strike capability separately emphasized. Recall such bomber drones were and are actively used in various variants primarily by Ukraine's Defense Forces in war against russia.
Finally worth noting that for U.S., swarm technologies are not novelty, and range of different solutions are now being built, including in cooperation with European companies, not only with drones but also potentially with cheap cruise missiles like Ruta from Dutch Destinus, to be controlled by Shield AI's Hivemind AI.
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