The Department of Defense Obtains Indoor Strike Drones with Artificial Intelligence Capabilities
The Department of Defense has announced a new deal to procure Inside/Outside Precision Strike Unmanned Aerial Systems (IPSUAS): miniature drones capable of home in on and attack targets within structures. The agreement with drone manufacturers XTEND, famed for their technological advancements in drones operating in unison inside buildings in Gaza, marks a significant leap forward in precision strike capabilities.
The contract is with the Department of Defense's Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate (IWTSD), a lesser-known organization dedicated to creating capabilities for the military (and other government agencies) to conduct operations involving covert, asymmetrical attacks against high-value targets. In previous instances, this might have involved a Predator drone eliminating an insurgent leader on a balcony using a six-bladed Hellfire R9X ‘Ninja’ missile without damaging the building. The new weapon extends precision strike capabilities to previously unreachable locations.
Flying Scorpion with a Venomous Sting
Flying drones within enclosed spaces is a significant challenge, given its complex, cluttered three-dimensional environment filled with obstacles. In a previous conversation with our platform, XTEND's CEO Aviv Shapira explained how the company's XOS operating system takes over the demanding tasks of piloting, enabling even novice fliers to soar like pros, navigating through windows and tight openings effortlessly.
The operator simply indicates the drone's desired destination, and the XOS software handles the rest, calculating the optimal route and automatically avoiding obstacles while also highlighting areas of interest, such as people or weapons, detected by the drone's camera. It also generates a map of the space as it traverses, ensuring it can find its way back.
The IPSUAS contract stems from the successful completion of live-fire tests with the IWTSD.
“Live-fire tests illustrated the precision, dependability, and operational superiority of our Scorpio PSIO sUAS solution,” states Shapira in a press release.
This suggests that the IPSUAS contract is for a variation of XTEND’s combat-proven Scorpio drone. The is likely to share similarities with the company’s Scorpio 500, a quadcopter 18 inches wide with a 15-minute flight time. Protective guards shield the drone from collisions with walls and other solid objects, and it is designed for ‘indoor precision operations.’
The Scorpio can carry a one-pound payload with numerous warhead options. While details are not provided, these are likely to include fragmentation warheads for antipersonnel purposes, explosives for breaching obstacles such as internal doors, and thermobaric warheads aimed at destroying a building's structure.
The Scorpio's navigation system does not rely on GPS or other satellite signals, which may be disrupted or unavailable inside buildings. It boasts a range above 3 miles with a maximum speed of 25 mph.
Beyond its intelligent software, perhaps the most striking feature of Scorpio is its communications. Mesh networking enables three drones to work in tandem, controlled by a single operator. Typically, two drones are stationed to secure exits while the third explores the interior of a building.
The specifications include an option for a fiber-optic data link. This renders the drone invisible to jamming and allows it to enter restricted spaces, such as underground tunnels, where radio signals cannot penetrate. This technology was unheard-of in military drones prior to last year but is now spreading rapidly, having been utilized by both Ukraine and Russia.
Battle-Hardened Drones
While XTEND is most celebrated for its work with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), where its drones have demonstrated their effectiveness in combat, the IPSUAS drones will be manufactured in the U.S. with deliveries slated to commence in Q1 of 2025.
This is not the IWTSD's first drone project. Their Tactical Offensive Support subdivision, responsible for supplying 'unique tactical offensive equipment,' previously acquired a customized Special Forces version of the Hero-30 loitering munition. This was another kamikaze drone originating from Israel, though this time supplied by American manufacturers Mistral Inc. The enhanced version offered extended flight time, an improved warhead, and increased hit probability.
The U.S. military currently possesses several kamikaze multicopter drones, such as the Marine Corps' Rogue-1, advanced, sophisticated (and costly) interpretations of the game-changing FPV drones utilized in Ukraine. However, these are exclusively outdoor weapons. The Black Hornet nano-drone, utilized in small quantities in Ukraine, can enter buildings but lacks the capacity to carry a payload.
This contract suggests that the IWTSD is responding to a specific customer's needs, either Special Forces or another entity, for a small tactical drone with new capabilities. IPSUAS can approach a building from a significant distance, enter the structure, and 'locate, identify, and engage' targets while providing close-up visual evidence of the individuals involved.
Follow-up IPSUAS drones can also verify the results of the strike, a capability currently beyond reach, and conduct additional attacks as necessary.
At present, this indoor-outdoor strike drone is likely to be a specialized skillset available only to select units. It is more likely to be seen in action sequences than actual battlefields. Like other forms of small drones, this capability could spread rapidly among both friendly and hostile forces, although replicating the intelligent AI software presents a much greater challenge than simply replicating hardware.
The new Inside/Outside Precision Strike Unmanned Aerial Systems (IPSUAS) under development by XTEND might incorporate features similar to their Kamikaze drone, the Scorpio 500, known for its indoor precision operations and ability to carry various warhead options.
In the future, specialized forces may utilize the IPSUAS drone for indoor strike missions, potentially expanding its capabilities beyond the limited circles of select units, as the technology spreads among various military forces.
