The Department of Defense recently conducted a successful test of mini drones that formed a "swarm" and flew together in formation.
According to the Military Times, the October test involved 103 Perdix micro drones launched from a trio of F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets over California. The battery-powered drones fulfilled mission orders given to them, as seen in the video above.
It was the largest test of a "swarm" of drones, which displayed "collective decision-making, adaptive formation flying, and self-healing," according to a DoD statement cited by the Times.
"This is the kind of cutting-edge innovation that will keep us a step ahead of our adversaries. This demonstration will advance our development of autonomous systems," Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said.
The small drones were developed by engineering students at MIT. They are designed to collect intelligence and conduct surveillance.
The Pentagon has tested several modern weapons and intelligence-gathering drones in recent years, including a program involving bug-sized, PD-100 Black Hornet drones already in use by the British military.
The Pentagon, meanwhile, has grown worried about the potential for civilians to weaponize commercially available drones using bombs.
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