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A US Drone that uses Artificial Intelligence to operate and manage attacks while causing damage to those attacks on them? Ever heard about such drones? Unexpected and strange, right? I mean, who would have thought that even drones can leverage automation to choose their tasks? But this is for real.
Summary:
1. The Red Dragon drone of US, uses Artifical Intelligence to operate and manage attacks, causing heavy damage to attackers.
2. The AVACORE software architecture operates the drone’s systems, guiding its behavior and using the SPOTR-Edge perception system to identify targets.
3. It can carry around 22 kg of explosive material and can hit speeds of 160 km/h and travel nearly 400 kilometers.
Wondering how? Then let’s dive into this tech news to explore further details and know everything about this unique drone.
The drone, (Red Dragon), which we discussed above, utilizes artificial intelligence to choose their own tasks. Also, to the attackers who hit them, this drone causes them heavy damage.
This ‘one-way attack’ drone, Red Dragon, is designed to help the US to keep the “air superiority”.
The weight of this Red Dragon drone is 20 kg, and it can be installed and launched within 10 minutes. It can carry around 22 kg of explosive material.
Like other drones from the US military that carry their missiles, Red Dragon is built to operate like a missile, all credit goes to its speed and functional features. The Red Dragon’s ability to choose targets on its own, with little assistance from humans, has sparked an ethical debate.
The drone’s systems are operated by the AVACORE software architecture, which acts as its brain and guides its behavior. The SPOTR-Edge perception system uses artificial intelligence to identify targets.
To address concerns about human error, the Department of Defense (DoD) clarified military policy limiting such scenarios and ensuring that someone “who understands the boundaries of the technology” is always held accountable for deploying it.
The Red Dragon can hit speeds of 160 km/h and travel nearly 400 kilometers.
AeroVironment video reveals that after the weapon identifies its target, the Red Dragon dive-bombs into it like a missile.
Although the drone’s explosive payload’s impact will likely vary depending on what it hits, AeroVironment showcased Red Dragon striking everything from tanks and military vehicles to enemy camps and fragile buildings.
Red Dragon arrives as military leaders have publicly stated that the nation is fighting to maintain “air superiority” because drones have completely shifted the battlefield by delivering remote-controlled bombs to targets around the globe.
The lightweight drone was built for speedy deployment and versatility on the battlefield, allowing smaller military forces to launch Red Dragon from nearly any location. Its AVACORE software architecture serves as the drone’s brain once it is in the air, controlling every system and facilitating rapid modification.
Red Dragon’s SPOTR-Edge perception technology works similarly to smart eyes, employing artificial intelligence to locate and recognize targets automatically.
Despite Red Dragon’s ability to select a target with ‘minimal operator interaction,’ the Department of Defense (DoD) has stated that allowing such a scenario is against military policy. Despite Red Dragon’s ability to pick a target with ‘minimal operator interaction,’ the Department of Defense (DoD) has stated that allowing a situation like this is against military policy.
Craig Martell, the Department of Defense’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer, stated in 2024 that “there will always be an individual who understands the boundaries of the technology and who takes responsibility for deploying that technology.”
Furthermore, the Department of Defense modified its own regulations to make sure that ‘autonomous and semi-autonomous weapon systems’ can be always controlled by people.