The US Army has announced the selection of two firms to develop a small drone for company-level intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions.
Anduril Industries and Performance Drone Works have each received 10-year contracts to provide their Ghost X and C-100 drones, respectively, to meet the service’s ISTAR requirements.
These drones will support Brigade Combat Teams in various environmental conditions.
Program Executive Officer Brig. Gen. David Phillips said the two companies were selected following thorough evaluations and flight demonstrations over a five-month period.
US Army acquisition assistant secretary Douglas Bush also noted that the milestone is an example of the service’s ability to rapidly transition from concept to contract, quickly delivering the new technology to soldiers.
“This shows [that] the acquisition system can move at the pace needed to support the Army, especially in rapidly emerging technology areas like small uncrewed aircraft systems (s-UAS),” he expressed.
Chosen Solutions
Unveiled in 2023, Anduril’s Ghost X is an expeditionary s-UAS purpose-built for reconnaissance and force protection.
It has a dual battery for an extended flight time of 75 minutes and an increased payload capacity of 9 kilograms (20 pounds).
Thanks to its long-range communications suite, the drone can fly up to 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) away from the operator.
The C-100, meanwhile, is a heavy-lift, man-packable quadcopter that boasts a flight endurance of 74 minutes and a range of more than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).
It also has a payload capacity of 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms).
According to Performance Drone Works, the C-100 is aligned with dynamic military targeting methodology and supports tactical intelligence missions.
