US Air Force's 'AI brain' takes flight in tactical drone that soared with human controllers

The US Air Force conducted a flight test that paves the way for AI-piloted fighter jets to man the skies. The military group flew its Skyborg Autonomy Core System (ACS) for two hours and 10 minutes over Florida and Gulf of Mexico on April 29. The technology is a combination of hardware and software designed to act as a brain for a drone, allowing it to conduct operations without human interference. Fitted to a Kratos UTAP-22 tactical unmanned vehicle, the ACS demonstrated basic aviation capabilities and responded to navigational commands, while reacting to geo-fences, adhering to aircraft flight envelopes and demonstrating coordinated maneuvering. The US Air Force conducted a flight test that paves the way for AI-piloted fighter jets to man the skies.