A small, American-made, unmanned aircraft system has set a new world endurance record, according to the U.S. Army. The drone was assembled at Tobyhanna Army Depot in Pennsylvania and tested by the Army in what turned out to be a record-breaking flight that spanned about 300 miles and lasted eight hours.
The test flight, held on July 15-17 and confirmed this week by the Army, was dubbed ‘Game of Drones.’ The mission was cause for celebration among unmanned aircraft experts, who called it a win for the growing use of autonomous flying systems in the military.
“I think it’s fantastic,” Cameron Chell, CEO of drone manufacturer Dragonfly, Inc., which has built multiple unmanned aircraft systems that are deployed around the world, said. “It shows the Army’s commitment to unmanned flight or autonomous systems, and how important drones are, in terms of the utility they can bring to the table with cost savings too.”
Chell did not build the Army’s test drone, but his company has developed drone systems for use in the war in Ukraine, among other hotspots. He said the Army’s test drone is a technological innovation that will benefit our military tremendously.
“I think there are a number of reasons that it’s beneficial. Obviously, it just increases your range of influence,” Chell said. “So whether you’re doing reconnaissance or surveillance, you could push your intel gathering out farther because the test drone operated at a greater distance with a longer battery life. I think anytime you can push the limits of range or speed, you’re also increasing your potential strike capability.”
According to a news release from Army Materiel Command, the battery-powered Group 1 drone was designed in less than 10 minutes using commercial 3D printers. It was assembled and launched during a Game of Drones demonstration at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
“I would bet heavily that this particular drone, the fact that it went that far for that long, is a demonstration of some technology that’s been built and maybe some innovation that’s been made that has not yet been made public,” Chell said. “But that drone wouldn’t necessarily be operational or useful operationally, because as soon as you start loading it up with cameras or equipment or strike capability, it’s going to have some different weight ratios involved.”
The U.S. Marine Corps integrates small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) at the squad and platoon levels to provide real-time reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition and counter-drone defense. Chell said the Army’s successful test mission of an unmanned, long-distance and long-lasting drone is only part of the endurance equation.
“An endurance record really is exactly what it sounds like. How long can it basically stay up in the air and how far can it get?” Chell said. “You could probably keep something up in the air and not have it travel a great distance. But a useful and successful unmanned aircraft system is generally considered a combination of the two.”
The Army’s news release explains that the flight in mid-July represented a major milestone for Army Materiel Command and its efforts to build secure domestic supply chains for critical defense technologies. Other efforts include producing and assembling small UAS components, including frames at Rock Island Arsenal-Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center, Ill., and batteries at Red River Army Depot, Tex.
“AMC is proud to provide material solutions to support innovation across the uncrewed systems spectrum,” Capt. Lee Washburn, the command’s military liaison for advanced manufacturing of small UAS, said in the statement. “From providing components to soldiers at innovation labs, to providing industry clean supply chain solutions in support of drone dominance, it is our goal to continue to participate in events that demonstrate our capabilities and help refine our components for the warfighter.”
The drone’s performance data from Edwards Air Force Base has been submitted to the Guinness Book of World Records for verification, the Army said.
“Game of Drones was proof that industry and the government can work together in creative ways to produce exceptional results,” Jon Strzelec, Army Materiel Command’s advanced manufacturing lead for small UAS, said in the statement. “The event showcases exactly what the Army set out to do: provide opportunities for industry to partner with the Army and let the Army leverage the innovation and technical depth of industry.”
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