US aircraft developer starts tests for autonomous supersonic fighter jet

US aircraft developer, Exosonic has started testing a subscale model of their conceptual unmanned supersonic jet.

The company aims to develop for military customers, and they have just completed their first flight-test campaign.

With technology moving more towards automation, it seems we will see many unmanned fighter jets in the future.

Even the US Air Force is developing their next generation fighter aircraft and one of them might be an unmanned drone.

The aircraft developer shifted its focus toward military projects.

Their current project is a far cry from the civilian supersonic jet that it had pitched several years ago.

Their first supersonic jet flight test included a subscale supersonic model that looks like an RC plane.

If you have about $30,000 lying around, you could buy your very own remote-controlled replica fighter jet.

So long as you’ve got the guts to fly it without crashing.

Since then, they have completed their first successful flight of the EX-3M Trident high-speed unmanned test aircraft in March.

The test flight took place out on a dry lake bed in Southern California.

According to Exosonic, “the autonomous supersonic jet model reached a top speed of over 240km/h (150 mph) at an altitude of roughly 600ft.”

If the unmanned supersonic jet is ever produced, it might cost up to millions of dollars just for a single aircraft.

Even the most advanced aircraft in the US arsenal — the F-35 — is quite expensive.

The aircraft developer says this model could also be used as a platform by governments and other commercial players.

Exosonic’s initial plans were to develop a 70-passenger, Mach 1.8 civilian supersonic jet with a range of 5753 miles (9,260 km).

However, it shifted to a military aircraft after landing a 2021 US Air Force (USAF) deal to develop a supersonic unmanned jet.

Likewise, other aircraft manufacturers, like NASA and Airbus, are developing their own supersonic planes.

So, it might not be long before civilians can experience supersonic flights again after Concorde’s retirement.