Quarterhorse Mk1 jet-powered drone presented in the US

The American company Hermeus has shown a jet drone capable of high-speed take-offs and landings.

Here's What We Know

The new Quarterhorse Mk1 drone is powered by the GE J85 engine, which was also used on F-5 supersonic fighters and T-38 Talon training aircraft. According to the developers, it can be designed and built in just seven months, so the company can later reach "one drone per year".

The drone will undergo its first tests this year at Edwards Air Force Base in California. However, Hermeus plans to conduct other tests before that to assess the performance of the subsystems and the ground station. No further details about Quarterhorse Mk1 are available at this time.

It is also known that after successful tests of the drone, the company wants to move on to the development of a new version - the supersonic drone Quarterhorse Mk2. It will be equipped with the Pratt & Whitney F100 engine, which is installed on F-15 and F-16 aircraft.

Source: The Defence Post