The Army in September 2023 selected Textron and Griffon Aerospace to move forward in the prototyping effort to develop an enduring FTUAS capability, and in April awarded the third and fourth contract options for the FTUAS prototyping effort following a critical design review with the two firms’ offerings.
**During Option 3, the remaining vendors will participate in flight demonstrations and MOSA third-party verification. Option 3 also includes a Soldier touch point and focuses on testing key systems characteristics including Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL), reduced acoustic signature, and rapid emplacement. Option 3 concludes following successful flight demonstration and MOSA verification events.**
**During Option 4, the vendors deliver production representative prototypes for use in testing and operational demonstrations. Additionally, Option 4 includes environmental, electromagnetic and environmental effects, transportability and flight tests. Option 4 culminates with the Production Readiness Review.**
PeartGoat on
Once upon a time there was light in my life, now there’s only drones in the dark.
_Joeyb on
Red and green lights…. Christmas lights! It’s Santa Kalus!
Drone with Christmas lights spreading the Christmas spirit
Hollywood-is-DOA on
I seen one of these flying outside of flat window in the UK, about two months ago. It had beeb hovering around in the airspace of my flat for a few months, before I seen it. I went to open my curtain to see it, waved at it and shut my curtains and went to bed.
urmomwent2university on
Modern Santa. Christmas is coming!
lifeundercaps on
Santa
Cornflake6irl on
Looks like it’s spraying something…
clemson0822 on
Something made to look like the starship enterprise from Star Trek in order to scare you.
Conblanco95 on
Do you think this could be an Anduril produced drone?
skimmily on
Is that some kind of aerosol behind it?
Ok_Fig705 on
Santa going with robots instead of elves this year
FreeContribution8608 on
Lots of drones have reportedly, allegedly been so spraying some kind of spray.
bilbobogginses on
Does it look like a hammer at all?
therecanbonlyme on
US made AI Drone searching for the Orb drones that are not from here, but when they find them they get shut down and crash, then silently recovered.
CU66LES on
This “thing” is a distraction from the things that really matter.
zare007 on
Drone
bearcat_77 on
Looks like a low poly videogame render.
TheRazzmatazz33k on
A bird of prey? Are we in a Star Trek episode?
leaderjoe89 on
Why would a spy drone have lights on?
llmercll on
Wraith from StarCraft
MarkGaboda on
Aliem daddy. If scooby doo taught me anything this is just Mr.. Nickelnire using the drones to scare land owners to sale him the land cheap and move away so he can start an amusement park. Snoochee bootchees.
lumberingox on
Santa’s sleigh doing manoeuvres ahead of the big day?
27 Comments
The industrial cmplx just pushing their agenda. Nothing to see here according to John Kirby..they’re just “hobbyists”
**Could be all these drones flight tests related to the ANCILLARY and FTUAS programs?**
[DARPA picks six firms to develop experimental ship-launched drones](https://www.c4isrnet.com/unmanned/2024/05/24/darpa-picks-six-firms-to-develop-experimental-ship-launched-drones/)
Published Friday, May 24, 2024
**The** [Defense Advanced Research and Projects Agency](https://www.defensenews.com/air/2023/01/19/darpa-takes-big-step-forward-on-x-plane-that-maneuvers-with-air-bursts/) **has chosen six companies to move forward on an experimental, low-weight drone that can take off and land vertically from a ship.**
The companies DARPA selected for its [ANCILLARY program](https://www.darpa.mil/research/programs/advanced-aircraft-infrastructure-less-launch-and-recovery) include a mix of major defense contractors and smaller aeronautics companies. [AeroVironment](https://www.avinc.com/), [Griffon Aerospace](https://www.griffonaerospace.com/products/valiant/), [Karem Aircraft](https://karemaircraft.com/), [Method Aeronautics](https://www.method.aero/), [Northrop Grumman](https://www.northropgrumman.com/), and [Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky](https://www.lockheedmartin.com/) will now further develop and refine their proposed ANCILLARY designs.
Northrop’s aircraft will be able to carry payloads of 60 pounds, **and fly a range of 100 nautical miles for up to 20 hours.**
[Army Completes Initial Flight Demos, MOSA Evaluation With FTUAS Prototypes – Sept. 11](https://www.aviationtoday.com/2024/09/19/army-completes-initial-flight-demos-mosa-evaluation-with-ftuas-prototypes-sept-11/)
**P**ublished September 19, 2024
The Army in September 2023 selected Textron and Griffon Aerospace to move forward in the prototyping effort to develop an enduring FTUAS capability, and in April awarded the third and fourth contract options for the FTUAS prototyping effort following a critical design review with the two firms’ offerings.
**During Option 3, the remaining vendors will participate in flight demonstrations and MOSA third-party verification. Option 3 also includes a Soldier touch point and focuses on testing key systems characteristics including Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL), reduced acoustic signature, and rapid emplacement. Option 3 concludes following successful flight demonstration and MOSA verification events.**
**During Option 4, the vendors deliver production representative prototypes for use in testing and operational demonstrations. Additionally, Option 4 includes environmental, electromagnetic and environmental effects, transportability and flight tests. Option 4 culminates with the Production Readiness Review.**
Once upon a time there was light in my life, now there’s only drones in the dark.
Red and green lights…. Christmas lights! It’s Santa Kalus!
Switchblade drone.
sophisticated radiation detection drone looking for the [nuclear material someone stole in NJ. ](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14198587/radioactive-shipment-missing-new-jersey-drone-invasion.html)
Looks like it’s dumping alot of smoke for a drone
Drone with Christmas lights spreading the Christmas spirit
I seen one of these flying outside of flat window in the UK, about two months ago. It had beeb hovering around in the airspace of my flat for a few months, before I seen it. I went to open my curtain to see it, waved at it and shut my curtains and went to bed.
Modern Santa. Christmas is coming!
Santa
Looks like it’s spraying something…
Something made to look like the starship enterprise from Star Trek in order to scare you.
Do you think this could be an Anduril produced drone?
Is that some kind of aerosol behind it?
Santa going with robots instead of elves this year
Lots of drones have reportedly, allegedly been so spraying some kind of spray.
Does it look like a hammer at all?
US made AI Drone searching for the Orb drones that are not from here, but when they find them they get shut down and crash, then silently recovered.
This “thing” is a distraction from the things that really matter.
Drone
Looks like a low poly videogame render.
A bird of prey? Are we in a Star Trek episode?
Why would a spy drone have lights on?
Wraith from StarCraft
Aliem daddy. If scooby doo taught me anything this is just Mr.. Nickelnire using the drones to scare land owners to sale him the land cheap and move away so he can start an amusement park. Snoochee bootchees.
Santa’s sleigh doing manoeuvres ahead of the big day?