A July 2024 flight test showed two autonomous drones working together in the air without depending on a central ground station. The demonstration, carried out by Shield AI in collaboration with Kratos and Parry Labs, is another step toward combat aircraft teams that mix human pilots with autonomous systems.
The aircraft were two MQM-178 Firejet drones from Kratos. After human-controlled takeoff, the drones switched to autonomous control in the test area and performed formation flying, tactical maneuvers and simulated combat patrols.
What happened in the flight test
The demonstration took place near the Kratos factory in Oklahoma in July 2024. Manned escort aircraft monitored the test flights while the two unmanned aircraft operated in coordination with each other.
The Firejet drones were fitted with Hivemind software from Shield AI and edge computing hardware from Parry Labs. That combination allowed the aircraft to fly autonomously and communicate with each other during the mission.
The important point is not simply that one drone followed a programmed path. The test involved two unmanned aircraft cooperating in flight, including formation flying and simulated combat patrols. In that kind of scenario, coordination matters because each aircraft has to operate as part of a small airborne team.
Why autonomy matters here
The source describes the Firejet drones as relatively small aircraft. Their role in this demonstration was to show how autonomous control and onboard computing can support coordinated flight behavior.
The drones did not rely on a central ground station for the autonomous portion of the test. Instead, the onboard systems enabled the aircraft to communicate with each other and continue the mission in the test area.
That distinction matters for future use alongside manned combat aircraft. If autonomous drones are expected to operate near human-piloted aircraft, they need to do more than stay airborne. They need to coordinate, adjust and perform useful maneuvers as part of a larger formation.
The test also kept humans in the loop at key points. The drones took off under human control, and manned escort aircraft monitored the flights. The demonstration therefore showed autonomous cooperation in a supervised flight environment, rather than a fully independent combat deployment.
The companies behind the demonstration
Each company contributed a different part of the system. Kratos provided the MQM-178 Firejet drones. Shield AI supplied Hivemind, the autonomy software used in the test. Parry Labs provided edge computing hardware for the aircraft.
Together, those elements created a setup in which the aircraft could operate autonomously after entering the test area. The system supported communication between the drones and enabled the maneuvers carried out during the flight.
The collaboration is notable because it joins aircraft, autonomy software and onboard computing into one operational demonstration. For autonomous drones, those pieces have to work together in real time. The aircraft must be able to fly, process information and coordinate behavior while airborne.
- Aircraft: two MQM-178 Firejet drones from Kratos
- Autonomy software: Hivemind from Shield AI
- Computing hardware: edge computing hardware from Parry Labs
- Test activity: formation flying, tactical maneuvers and simulated combat patrols
How this fits with US Air Force plans
The demonstration sits within a broader push toward autonomous flight systems. The US Air Force is also advancing work in this area, including efforts involving AI co-pilots and wingman drones.
In collaboration with DARPA, the US Air Force had an AI-controlled fighter aircraft compete against manned F-16s in simulated dogfights for the first time in 2023. Those tests used the experimental X-62A VISTA aircraft. According to those involved, the tests marked a breakthrough in the application of AI in aviation.
The US Air Force vision described in the source is for human pilots to work closely with AI co-pilots in the next generation of combat aircraft. Those pilots would also control a fleet of AI-controlled drones.
The scale of that ambition is reflected in the planned investment. The Air Force plans to invest around $5.8 billion in autonomous drones over the next five years.
What the test does and does not prove
The flight test is a practical sign that autonomous drones can cooperate in the air under controlled conditions. It showed two unmanned aircraft flying together, communicating and carrying out simulated patrol behavior after human-controlled takeoff.
At the same time, the source frames the event as a demonstration. It does not describe an operational deployment, and it does not claim that autonomous drones are already flying combat missions alongside manned aircraft.
Its significance is narrower and still important: two unmanned aircraft successfully demonstrated autonomous cooperation in flight. That is the kind of capability needed if autonomous drones are to become useful companions to manned combat aircraft rather than standalone machines.
For now, the clearest takeaway is that the pieces are moving from concept toward flight testing. Shield AI, Kratos and Parry Labs have shown coordinated autonomy on two MQM-178 Firejet drones, while the US Air Force continues to pursue a future in which pilots, AI co-pilots and AI-controlled drones operate together.