XQ-58A Valkyrie, June 11, 2019. (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt. Randolph Abaya)
By: FEDweek StaffThe XQ-58A Valkyrie low-cost unmanned aerial vehicle successfully flew higher in its fourth test flight than it had before, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) announced.
The aircraft met each objective of the test, which took place Jan. 23 at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona. The AFRL and its industry partner, Kratos Defense and Security Solution, Inc., were encouraged by the flight, the aircraft’s first since one conducted last October.
The XQ-58A was damaged upon landing during that flight. A fifth test is planned for later this year. Air Force scientists intend to incorporate the results and lessons learned through the XQ-58A program in future platforms that would be capable of performing a wide array of missions alongside human-piloted flights or independently.
