HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M — During a “light attack experiment” here last week, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson revealed that the service would be participating in a new event called ThunderDrone.
“In two months, we’re going to have a big competition. They’ve rented out a big warehouse,” Wilson said. “It’s a rapid prototyping event, and basically it’s to investigate swarms and platforms and effects and data science of small unmanned aerial vehicles. There’s even one (event) that says, ‘Ok, bring your stuff, we’ll see who the last drone standing is.’”
The event is being coordinated by SOFWERX, a public facing intermediary that assists with collaboration, innovation, prototyping and exploration with industry, labs and academic partners implemented by the Doolittle Institute under agreement with USSOCOM.
SOFWERX describes the event as the following on its website:
SOFWERX invites SOF Warfighters, Interagency Partners, and select contributors from Industry and Academia to participate in ThunderDrone, a focused technology innovation effort related to drones (sea, land, air, and space), tactical swarms, payloads (kinetic/non-kinetic), and their associated data science applications for the Special Operations community. ThunderDrone will be hosting in a brand new state-of-the-art 7,000 sq ft indoor drone test range for drone experimentation, prototyping, and testing open to all tech innovation partners.
As the prevalence of drones continues, both military-wise and consumer-facing, it makes sense to create an event to help push the envelope of what can be achieved by the flying devices.
From payloads to home security, there is not shortage of potential drone applications.
ThunderDrone will take place Sept 5. – Nov. 3. For more information or to get involved, click here.
