- The Pentagon clears an Australian shotgun drone for American government procurement
- Australia’s Cerberus MI can fire weapons and return for reloading
- The 40-pound aircraft can carry shotguns or grenade launchers
The Pentagon has approved an Australian-developed armed drone for inclusion on a procurement list used by American military and federal agencies.
Cerberus MI was developed by Skyborne Technologies and carries a 12-gauge shotgun for engaging targets during flight.
Unlike disposable attack drones, the 40-pound (18-kilogram) aircraft can return to its operator after an engagement, receive fresh ammunition, and undertake another mission.
A reusable aircraft carrying conventional weapons
Skyborne designed Cerberus MI with a reinforced airframe capable of handling weapon recoil, while allowing operators to exchange its shotgun for a 40mm low-velocity grenade launcher.
The aircraft uses onboard artificial intelligence to combine information from multiple sensors, although human operators retain control over engagement decisions.
Skyborne says its targeting system for this drone supports engagements at distances exceeding 300 metres (984 feet).
When carrying its weapons, the drone can remain airborne for approximately 35 minutes, with a maximum speed of 54 kilometres (34 miles) per hour.
It also supports payloads weighing up to 9 pounds (4 kilograms), placing it within the Group 2 classification for unmanned aircraft.
Skyborne developed the platform for counter-drone operations and direct-fire engagements, with an emphasis on reusing the aircraft rather than discarding it after every mission.
“Cerberus MI was designed around that principle — a reusable, reloadable direct-fire UAS with an expanding weapon ecosystem, using standard ammunition to deliver low cost per shot and greater magazine depth,” said Adrian Dudok, chief executive for US operations at Skyborne.
Pentagon clearance removes procurement restrictions
The aircraft’s inclusion on the Department of Defense’s Blue UAS Cleared List gives eligible American government agencies access to the system without obtaining individual policy exceptions.
The Defense Contract Management Agency approved the aircraft after examining its cybersecurity protections, supply-chain arrangements, and potential exposure to foreign influence.
These assessments follow requirements established under the National Defense Authorization Act, which governs several aspects of military procurement and equipment security.
The clearance does not necessarily mean the Pentagon has placed an order or committed funding towards purchasing Cerberus MI.
Instead, the approval establishes that the aircraft has satisfied the relevant assessment requirements for inclusion on the government procurement list.
For Skyborne, the decision provides an opportunity to introduce its aircraft into American defence procurement channels without requiring prospective government customers to pursue separate policy exemptions.
Michael Creagh, the company’s chief executive for the Asia-Pacific region, said the design was intended to accommodate changing military requirements without replacing the entire aircraft.
“Our focus has been on building a system that can adapt to emerging operational requirements without continually replacing the underlying hardware,” said Creagh.
The company has not disclosed the number of aircraft American agencies might acquire, the expected contract value, or any delivery schedule.
