Northrop Grumman completes first fully autonomous flight of YFQ-48A Talon Blue

Northrop Grumman successfully flew its YFQ-48A Talon Blue aircraft on a fully autonomous mission that included taxiing, take‑off, in‑flight manoeuvres and landing.

The aircraft was built with a modular design and advanced manufacturing techniques aimed at reducing costs and speeding production, and the company highlighted its more than 500,000 autonomous flight hours as a basis for future autonomous platform development.