Two companies are advancing concepts for small, reusable unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) that can be launched in volleys and retrieved in flight by a C-130 cargo aircraft under the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) “Gremlins” program. Plans call for one team to produce a demonstration system for flight tests in 2019.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA‑ASI) of San Diego and Dynetics, of Huntsville, Alabama, in March announced Phase 2 contracts from Darpa to refine their air vehicle and recovery-system concepts to the preliminary design stage. Early next year, Darpa will selec one company for an 18-month Phase 3 to build and test its system.

Composite Engineering, a Kratos Unmanned Systems Division subsidiary, and Lockheed Martin also competed in the program’s first phase under study contracts awarded in March 2016.