Perdix concept. Image: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
A secretive team of US military technologists has tested a new kind of tiny smart drone that can deploy in swarms from supersonic jet fighters.The test of 103 so-called "Perdix" drones took place in October 2016 at a military test range in California. But it wasn't until January 9, 2017 that the Pentagon finally revealed the trial to the public.The Perdix practice-run represented "one of the most significant tests of autonomous systems under development by the Department of Defense," the Pentagon stated.
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Students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology invented the original version of the Perdix drone in 2011, intending the small unmanned aerial vehicle to support environmental monitoring. The Strategic Capabilities Office took notice and adopted the robot design in 2013. The military has spent just a few tens of millions of dollars on Perdix, so far—much less than the cost of one new manned fighter.Read more: The UK Wants Swarms of Drones for Defence Missions
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