The weapon of the future? The Pentagon has successfully tested a swarm of 103 microdrones. This is undoubtedly an important step in the development of new autonomous weapons systems that has been made possible thanks to improvements in artificial intelligence, keeping open the possibility that groups of small robots can act together under human direction. .
Surveillance tools or weapons?
Military strategists have high hopes for these drone swarms as they would also be cheap to produce and capable of confusing opponents’ defenses with their large numbers, as well as blocking radar signals. As an example, these devices could be used as a swarm of spy cameras to hunt down terrorists who intend to flee.
The test of the world’s largest microdrone swarm took place in October in California (USA) and included 103 Perdix-type microdrones measuring around 16 centimeters long and equipped with radio transmitters, receivers and cameras. They were launched in three F / A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets, according to the Pentagon.
“The microdrones demonstrated advanced swarming behaviors such as collective decision-making, adaptive training, and self-healing,” reports the Pentagon.
Originally designed by engineering students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2013, these Perdix microdrones form a collective organism, sharing brain for decision-making and adapting to each other like swarms in nature.
“Because each Perdix communicates and collaborates with every other Perdix, the swarm has no leader and can easily adapt to drones entering or leaving the team,” says William Roper, director of the Pentagon’s Office of Strategic Capabilities.
