Anduril unveils autonomous tiltrotor drone wingman for US Army helicopters
Anduril, a California-based defense firm, announced plans for an autonomous attack tiltrotor named Thunder, just weeks after winning the US Air Force's drone wingman contract. Developed with Archer Aviation, the vertical-takeoff-and-landing rotorcraft is group five-sized, hybrid-electric powered, and designed to fit in a standard shipping container. Company officials say multiple Thunders could accompany each crewed helicopter, such as the Apache, tripling available munitions at a fraction of the cost. Thunder can carry up to ten air-to-ground missiles, 16 launched effects, or 76 70mm rockets. First flight is expected next year, with production potentially starting by the end of the decade. Anduril also aims to attract international customers, debuting the model at the Farnborough air show. Boeing has a similar tiltrotor drone concept.
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