Palladyne AI Corp. has announced the successful inaugural flight test of its integrated IntelliSwarm autonomy stack. The milestone was achieved on the company’s proprietary Banshee loitering munition platform, which autonomously collaborated with third-party drones from Red Cat during the demonstration.
IntelliSwarm represents the tight integration of Palladyne AI’s patented SwarmOS autonomy software with its BRAIN X2 Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) flight computer. This combined, tamper-proof edge-AI solution enables collaborative and intelligent behavior in unmanned systems directly at the source, without reliance on GPS or constant communications links. The rapid three-week development cycle from concept to flight underscores the company’s execution speed.
“IntelliSwarm is flight-proven technology today – not a future concept,” stated Ben Wolff, President and CEO of Palladyne AI. He emphasized that the successful integration fundamentally alters what is economically viable in AI-enabled systems, providing a foundational autonomy layer to accelerate next-generation capabilities for defense customers and UAV manufacturers.
A key innovation of IntelliSwarm is its decentralized, heterogeneous approach. Unlike systems requiring identical drones or central command, it enables platforms from different manufacturers, with varying roles and capabilities, to operate as intelligent peers within a secure mesh network. This design promotes mission resilience, graceful system degradation, and aligns with the U.S. Department of Defense’s open-systems requirements.
The test also served as a proving flight for Palladyne Defense’s Banshee, a next-generation reusable mini-bomber UAV concept. The platform is designed for modern contested environments, prioritizing autonomy, affordability, and resilience while offering a lower cost-per-effect than simpler First Person View (FPV) drones.
Dr. Denis Garagic, Chief Technology Officer, highlighted the technical achievement: “By natively integrating SwarmOS with BRAIN X2, we’ve created a seamless stack for embodied intelligence and precise control. This allows diverse platforms to function as a unified, adaptive force, achieving new levels of interoperability.”
Looking ahead, Palladyne AI plans to commercialize IntelliSwarm as a core building block for other unmanned systems manufacturers. The goal is to allow any equipped UAV or attritable munition to seamlessly join a collaborative autonomous network, enhancing scalability and operational effectiveness across diverse defense programs.
