Air Force Research Lab Flies First AI-Enabled XQ-58A Valkryie Drone Mission

by Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization

The Air Force Research Laboratories famous Valkyrie XQ-58A “loyal wingman” drone is now flying autonomously with AI-enabled advanced algorithms designed to pilot the drone without any need for human intervention. 

Algorithms advancing aerial autonomy have been in existence for many years now, and the Air Force has also already experimented with unmanned fighter jets even AI-enabled co-pilots such as a technology called ArtUu, yet fully AI-enabled unmanned drone operations introduce the possibility of massive operational breakthroughs. 

AI enabled autonomous flight is yet another paradigm-changing breakthrough beyond just autonomy, as advanced algorithms linked with sensor data and navigational detail can instantly process fast-arriving new information from otherwise disparate sources to make adjustments in flight. 

“The Air Force Research Laboratory led a successful three-hour sortie, July 25, demonstrating the first flight of AFRL-developed, machine-learning trained, artificial intelligence algorithms on an XQ-58A Valkyrie,” an Air Force essay on the experiment at Eglin Air Force Base said. 

This means an AI-enabled Valkyrie drone could adjust course, change navigational heading, re-direct sensors and transmit fast-emerging target information across a networked force … all without needing human intervention. Advanced AI brings the promise of making these kinds of drone operations much faster, more advanced and capable of a wider set of missions. Warrior talked to former Air Force Research Laboratory Commander Maj. Gen. Heather Pringle about Valkyrie and manned-unmanned teaming last year during an earlier phase of the platforms development. She anticipated that maturing AI would increasingly enable the “loyal wingman” drone to lower the burden on manned pilots and command and control to paradigm-changing levels due to the integration of advanced AI. Pringle described the relationship between AI-enabled Valkyrie and human decision makers as symbiotic. 

Video of Maj. Gen. Heather Pringle telling Warrior about Valkyrie last year