Tech giant DZYNE has signed a $49-million contract with the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to develop low-cost, military-grade capabilities to boost the US unmanned fleet’s endurance and propulsion.
The contract will support research and development for DZYNE’s long endurance program to create technology allowing the Air Force’s unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to perform ultra-long endurance missions.
Advanced artificial intelligence and control integration round out the capabilities being studied in the initiative.
DZYNE’s partnership with the US comes amid the Biden administration’s recent push for a more robust drone fleet.
Partnering for Security
DZYNE board chairman Ben Slater stated that the contract underlines the company’s commitment to answering the US’ security challenges.
“We are honored to continue working alongside AFRL and look forward to continuing to develop cutting-edge technologies that break the traditional defense acquisition cost curve and safeguard our country and its interests,” he added.
One of its most recent collaborations with the Department of Defense included a plan to construct a 125,000-square-foot (11,600 square-meter research facility in Irvine, California, to support autonomous projects including the Replicator program.
The facility’s research, development, and manufacturing are set to begin next year.
