An Anduril Industries drone capable of carrying a 33-pound warhead scored direct hits on several targets during military testing in Utah at the Dugway Proving Grounds. The Altius-700M drone can fly for over an hour at a range of 100 miles, and the live warhead test was successful against the chosen target set.
Military interest in unmanned armaments, including loitering munitions and launched effects like the Altius-700M, has been growing. The system is designed for larger, armored targets, and interest in buying it has been expressed by undisclosed parties.
In related news, the Army successfully tested a different Altius variant by launching it from a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. The testing yielded positive data and shapes future endeavors. Anduril acquired Georgia-based Area-I in 2021, with customers including the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Special Operations Command.
The company has delivered hundreds of Altius drones to the U.S. government and smaller versions have been provided to Ukraine as part of aid packages. Military drones and robotic technologies are increasingly used to collect intelligence, augment targeting, and deploy launched effects for military operations around the world.
