US Tests 103 Micro-Drone Swarm Launched From F/A-18 Super Hornet Planes

The Pentagon has tested a swarm of 103 micro-drones launched from three F/A-18 Super Hornet planes at China Lake in California.

The US department of Defense released the information to the public only now after the tests were conducted in October last year.

Improvements in artificial intelligence has led to the development of new autonomous weapon systems and also to holding open the groups of small robots act according to the instructions given by humans, AFP reported Tuesday quoting the US DoD calling it a significant step.

Military strategists have high hopes for such drone swarms that would be cheap to produce and able to overwhelm opponents’ defenses with their great numbers.

The test included 103 Perdix micro-drones measuring around six inches (16 centimeters) launched from three F/A—18 Super Hornet fighter jets, the Pentagon said in a statement.

“The micro-drones demonstrated advanced swarm behaviors such as collective decision-making, adaptive formation flying and self-healing,” it said.

“Perdix are not pre-programmed synchronized individuals, they are a collective organism, sharing one distributed brain for decision-making and adapting to each other like swarms in nature,” said William Roper, director of the Pentagon’s Strategic Capabilities Office. “Because every Perdix communicates and collaborates with every other Perdix, the swarm has no leader and can gracefully adapt to drones entering or exiting the team.”

The department is tasked with accelerating the integration of technological innovations into the US weaponry.