US drone maker Anduril hit by test failures
U.S. defense tech company Anduril is facing new scrutiny after two of its Altius drones crashed during Air Force tests this month. Test summaries show one drone plunged 8,000 feet during a demonstration over Florida, while another spiraled down shortly after. The failures highlight a gap between the firm’s claims of battlefield readiness and its real-world performance.
Anduril, valued at more than $30 billion, has promoted the Altius as combat-proven and capable of long-range surveillance and strike missions. The company has supplied hundreds to Ukraine. However, interviews with former employees, military officials and people working with drones in Ukraine reveal ongoing issues, including earlier performance problems with the Ghost reconnaissance drone, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Russian electronic warfare also challenged the Ghost system in Ukraine, forcing Anduril to redesign the model and release the Ghost X in late 2023. While the updated version has shown improvements, a video from a U.S. Army exercise in Germany this year captured a Ghost X spinning out of control before crashing. Anduril said a rotor issue caused the incident and has since been fixed.
Despite the setbacks, the Pentagon recently approved another purchase of Altius drones worth up to $50 million. Anduril maintains that test failures are normal in development and says the incidents cited are isolated. The company has shipped hundreds of systems to Ukraine, which Britain’s Defence Ministry says have been effective for naval operations.
Anduril founder Palmer Luckey has vowed to push technology forward quickly, even as the firm grapples with the challenges of adapting U.S. defense hardware to a battlefield dominated by cheap, mass-produced drones.
News.Az
