U.S. Air Force Receives ‘Grasshopper’ Autonomous Gliders to Deliver Cargo in Contested Environments
Published on: May 9, 2025 at 1:17
Parth Satam
AFRL and the developer DZYNE said the Grasshopper offers low-cost standoff cargo delivery and troop resupply in contested, high-risk environments
The U.S. Air Force has received “several dozen” units of the Grasshopper autonomously-navigated gliders that will substitute larger manned aircraft for cargo deliveries in risky, air-defended environments, officials from contractor DZYNE told Air and Space Forces Magazine. Developed in collaboration with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the system was unveiled on May 2, 2025, and “is part of a broader ongoing program to enhance contested logistics capabilities,” a release from DZYNE said.
AFRL and the developer DZYNE said the Grasshopper offers low-cost standoff cargo delivery and troop resupply in contested, high-risk environments
The system can carry up to 500 pounds of supplies and is launched by being rolled off the rear ramp of transport aircraft like the C-17 and C-130. Grasshopper has touched speeds of 109 miles/hour and can glide “tens of miles,” based on the drop altitude, the spokesperson told ASF.
The ability to conduct “standoff cargo delivery” in contested, or areas “inaccessible” to larger manned aircraft with a “low-cost logistical solution” also offers applications in Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief (HADR) roles, where time-sensitive delivery of supplies is critical to save lives.
https://theaviationist.com/2025/05/09/usaf-receives-grasshopper-autonomous-gliders/
