Swarm of 'Perdix' Military Drones - Launched from Jet - Surround Target
In what the U.S. Department of Defense called "one of the most significant tests of autonomous systems," U.S. military officials carried out the largest-ever test of a drone swarm released from fighter jets in flight. The test was conducted in October, 2016 in China Lake, CA. In the trials, three F/A-18 Super Hornets released 103 Perdix drones, which then communicated with each other and proceeded to perform a series of formation flying exercises that mimicked a surveillance mission. Originally designed by MIT engineering students, the Perdix drone was modified for military use by MIT Lincoln Laboratory engineers beginning in 2013.