MQ-20 Avenger drone performs simulated air interception in fully autonomous flight

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MQ-20 Avenger drone performs simulated aerial interception in fully autonomous flight
MQ-20 Avenger drone performs simulated aerial interception in fully autonomous flight (X @GenAtomics_ASI)

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems conducted another autonomous flight demonstration with the MQ-20 Avenger jet drone, including a simulated aerial interception against a real aircraft piloted by a human.

The test, funded by the company itself and conducted on January 18, aimed to evaluate the system’s ability to make decisions, integrate sensors, and execute missions without direct human control.

During the operation, the MQ-20 used onboard sensors to independently detect, track, and calculate an interception solution against the adversary aircraft. According to the company, the performance confirmed the maturity of the mission autonomy software, which worked in conjunction with the flight systems to adapt the aircraft to the mission requirements in real-time.

The Avenger has been used for over five years as a test platform for the development of collaborative combat aircraft, alongside newer models like the XQ-67A and YFQ-42A.

In the demonstration, the mission planning was done via a human-machine interface, and the mission profile was loaded before takeoff, allowing for full autonomous execution once the flight began. The test also included strict adherence to no-fly and restricted zones, as well as the use of an Anduril infrared search and tracking sensor to passively calculate the interception profile.

At the end, the system simulated an engagement with weapons against the real aircraft, reinforcing the advancement of cooperation technologies between humans and autonomous systems for future operational applications.

Source: UK Defence Journal | Photo: X @GenAtomics_ASI | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team

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