Tech firm Anduril, known for its defense-friendly hardware and software, has launched a U.S.-made drone with unique capabilities.
Designed for military and commercial use, the Ghost 4 is the newest update to the firm's small unmanned aircraft system (UAS). According to company founder Palmer Luckey in an interview with Aviation Today, the drone is the best on the market.
According to Drone DJ, the Ghost drone relies on Anduril's existing proprietary AI platform, Lattice. A user-friendly dashboard enables the drone to perform complex tasks and collect data with only one person at the controls. According to Aviation Today, the drone is designed for, swarming and teaming' with other ghost drones and Anduril hardware.
According to Wired magazine, Luckey says that this is the first AI-powered drone that can perform reconnaissance missions in a defense setting with a single operator. Built for stealth and durability, the vehicle uses a combination of machine learning (the method that underpins most modern artificial intelligence) and conventional software.
The Ghost drones are capable of longer flights and pair with other Anduril technology to collect and send data back to a central AI system. The Lattice software platform analyzes the information and flags important data for review, according to Tech Crunch. In practice, this could mean detecting individuals crossing the U.S. border and instantly notifying border agents on their mobile devices.
While the Ghost 4 drone is not currently in use by the federal government, it is part of a new generation of defense hardware that is made entirely in the U.S. or allied countries, according to Aviation Today. This push comes as the Pentagon continues to emphasize products that can be manufactured independent of Chinese companies or supply chains, according to Defense Daily. Some members of Congress have gone as far as proposing legislation to ban government agencies from using consumer drones made in China, according to Wired.
