The Pentagon has given a new shotgun-wielding drone its stamp of approval. It also comes with a grenade launcher.
The drone, equipped with a shotgun or grenade launcher, has been added to the Blue UAS List, a catalog of vetted uncrewed systems and parts.
The U.S. military has officially approved a new drone armed with a shotgun and grenade launcher for use in combat. The Skyborne Technologies Cerberus MI drone, designed to withstand the recoil of a 12-gauge shotgun, is now included on the Pentagon's Blue UAS List, a catalog of vetted unmanned aerial systems. The 40-pound drone can fly for approximately 35 minutes and engage targets over 300 meters away.
In addition to the shotgun, the Cerberus MI can also carry a grenade launcher. This marks a shift in drone warfare, with US troops potentially deploying armed drones as a last line of defense against enemy unmanned aerial systems. The drone's design allows for reusability, as it can be returned to its operator for reloading after firing its weapons.
The development of shotgun-armed drones is not new, with Ukrainian defense company 3DTech having previously created a drone equipped with a six-barrel recoilless shotgun. Other companies, such as Federal Ammunition, Mossberg, and Palladyne AI, are also exploring similar technology through the SwarmShot project. The Pentagon's Blue UAS program, established in 2020, aims to identify drones that meet U.S. government standards, particularly cybersecurity and supply chain regulations.
The list, managed by the Defense Contract Management Agency, expedites the process of integrating drones into military operations, with a focus on avoiding Chinese-made components controlled by Beijing.
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