Defense technology startup Anduril Industries faced a number of setbacks while testing autonomous weapons systems, according to a new report from the Journal. At issue is the failure of more than a dozen drone boats during a Navy exercise off the coast of California in May, with sailors warning of safety violations and potential loss of life. A mechanical problem damaged the engine of Anduril’s unmanned jet fighter Fury during summer ground tests. and a test of an anvil-to-drone system that caused a 22-acre fire in Oregon in August.
Founded in 2017 by Palmer Lackey, Anduril raised $2.5 billion in June at a $30.5 billion valuation led by Founders Fund, which helped grow the company. The company has won numerous military contracts, including programs to build autonomous aircraft and anti-drone systems.
In addition to the failed experiment, Anduril’s only real battlefield experience in Ukraine was also at fault, the magazine reported. Front-line soldiers of the Ukrainian SBU security forces discovered that the Altius loitering drone had crashed and was unable to hit its target. The problem was reportedly so severe that the Ukrainian military stopped using the drone in 2024 and has not deployed any drones since then, but Anduril maintains that the challenge is unique to weapons development, that the engineering team has made meaningful progress, and that the aforementioned incident does not indicate a fundamental flaw in the technology.
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