The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has chosen Shearwater Aerospace to provide AI-based software that enables unmanned aircraft to exploit wind currents and extend flight endurance. Selected as a subcontractor under DARPA’s Albatross program, Shearwater will deliver automated mission-planning and micro-weather forecasting technologies that allow drones to sense and respond to dynamic atmospheric conditions in real time. The company’s Smart Flight system combines AI-driven weather intelligence with continuous flight-path optimization, turning weather from a limitation into an operational advantage without requiring additional hardware. Upcoming flight demonstrations led by prime contractor PhysicsAI, with support from Applied Aeronautics, will assess how software-enabled planning can boost UAV persistence across varied environments. The Albatross initiative focuses on retrofitting existing unmanned systems with advanced planning and control tools to harness environmental energy rather than redesigning aircraft.
