US Army buys long-flying solar drones to watch over Pacific units
By Jen Judson
Oct 30, 2024, 12:51 PM
The Army’s 1st Multi-Domain Task Force has used a small number of Kraus Hamdani Aerospace K1000 Ultra Long-Endurance, solar-powered unmanned aircraft system across the Pacific theater in places like the Philippines and Guam in recent years. Now the Pentagon has ordered $20 million worth of the systems for the unit as well as special operators.
The Pentagon made the award through the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT) program, one of the largest awards since the fund’s 2022 creation.
The K1000ULE is designed to “mimic nature by utilizing onboard artificial intelligence to silently glide through the air like a bird and generate clean onboard energy,” an Oct. 30 company statement reads. “The K1000ULE is the longest-endurance, fully electric, zero-emissions autonomous aircraft in its size and weight category.”
https://www.defensenews.com/land/2024/10/30/us-army-buys-long-flying-solar-drones-to-watch-over-pacific-units/
