U.S. military tests tethered drones and robotic vessel refueling

The U.S. Army and U.S. Navy are conducting tests to enhance the persistence and endurance of unmanned systems in operational environments.

The Army’s Maneuver Battle Lab recently assessed tethered unmanned aircraft systems (Te-UAS) at the McKenna Field Landing Site. Unlike standard drones that rely on onboard batteries, these systems receive continuous power and data through a physical tether. The assessment evaluated the drones' ability to provide reconnaissance, surveillance, and communications, specifically testing their capacity to follow maneuvering vehicles and relay signals around terrain obstacles.

Simultaneously, the U.S. Navy demonstrated a robotic refueling method for unmanned surface vessels (USV). Using a robotic towed connector, a Navy-industry team successfully performed dozens of capture, refuel, and release cycles at sea. The demonstration involved the T38 USV and a towable capture and connection device, transferring 400 gallons of fuel to enable longer mission durations without requiring crewed support ships to return to port.