What's next for the Pentagon after the Replicator programme?
Although the Replicator initiative has made several accomplishments, there are still multiple gaps to plug across the US Department of Defense (DoD) and its services.
AeroVironment has introduced a new UAS aimed at the commercial market called Quantix, the company announced on 14 November.
The system is capable of operator-in-the-loop automated flight, and has a hybrid design that enables it to launch vertically and transition into horizontal flight.
Simplified operating procedures allow operators to plan missions by tracing their finger over a map displayed on the tablet controller screen to identify an area of interest. The user is then guided through an automated pre-flight check, and the UAS performs a built-in test procedure optimising its flight path for maximum coverage, launching, and then landing vertically when its mission is complete.
The UAS carries colour and multispectral sensors for image capture, and its Decision Support System (DSS) uses advanced research and algorithms to produce high-resolution datasets and analysis of agriculture fields and vineyards, bridges, railroad tracks, pipelines, roads and many other valuable assets. The DSS is the foundation for data processing, integrating data streams from multiple types of sensors and data collection tools and storing large amounts of image data for historical trend analysis.
Wahid Nawabi, AeroVironment chief executive and president, said: ‘Our customers told us they want to focus on running their businesses, not on becoming drone experts. That’s why we designed our highly automated system from the ground up to make it easy for them to get the insights they need so they can proceed with certainty.'
Although the Replicator initiative has made several accomplishments, there are still multiple gaps to plug across the US Department of Defense (DoD) and its services.
Cummings Aerospace presented its turbojet-powered Hellhound loitering munition at SOF Week 2025, offering a man-portable solution aligned with the US Army’s LASSO requirements.
PDW has revealed its Attritable Multirotor First Person View drone at SOF Week 2025, offering special operations forces a low-cost, rapidly deployable platform for strike and ISR missions, inspired by battlefield lessons from Ukraine.
Teledyne FLIR is highlighting the emerging requirements for 'recoverable and re-usable' loitering munitions across the contemporary operating environment during this week’s SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida.
High-performance maritime industry player Kraken Technology Group, based in the UK, has used the SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida this week to debut its K3 Scout uncrewed surface vessel (USV) to the North American market.
Red Cat and Palladyne AI recently conducted a cross-platform collaborative flight involving three diverse heterogeneous drones.