Navy experiments with utilizing drones for transporting medical supplies during RIMPAC

The Navy assessed using unmanned aerial systems to deliver critical supplies to the destroyer Curtis Wilbur last month during the Rim of the Pacific military exercise. The Curtis Wilbur conducted flight tests using the Skyways V2.6 Unmanned Aerial System and PteroDynamics X-P4 Unmanned Aerial System from June 19 to June 24. Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division awarded PteroDynamics a contract to deliver three vertical take-off and landing drone prototypes to the Navy to assist in delivering repair cargo. Commander Yilei Liu emphasized the importance of integrating autonomous platforms into existing systems for future combat operations. Exercise Rim of the Pacific, known as RIMPAC, involves nearly 30 nations and more than 25,000 personnel and concludes on August 1.