Last week, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI), an American military aeronautics contractor, successfully executed tactical flying maneuvers with its MQ-20 Avenger drone using artificial intelligence (AI) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communication (SATCOM).

In a press release statement, GA-ASI said that it conducted the flight test using its “live, virtual, constructive collaborative combat aircraft ecosystem over a [LEO SATCOM] provider’s IP-based Mission Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) datalink” on April 6, 2023.

The company demonstrated joint capability between AI and human pilots in controlling the MQ-20 unmanned aircraft system (UAS). Likewise, it highlighted the connection that allowed machine learning to rapidly “retain and redeploy” as it executes combat maneuvers in real time.