US defense firm Anduril flew its uncrewed, jet-powered drone for the first time on Friday, reflecting the country’s embrace of semi-autonomous military craft.
The drone can manage flight controls and throttle adjustments without human commands, the company said.
The US military envisions being able to eventually deploy a swarm of drones without pilots in the event of a future conflict in the Pacific, and is leaning on the private sector to do so.
But questions about guardrails for such technology are growing increasingly urgent, especially when “we give software the power to kill,” Semafor’s technology editor wrote. “It’s worth a public conversation on hard questions like the standard for accuracy.”