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Air Systems / Autonomous Air System
A modular autonomous aircraft designed for distributed sensing, communications relay, and mission-configurable payload integration.
The Problem
The STRIX approach
One airframe, multiple mission configurations. STRIX is designed around a common payload bay and a common launch interface, so a mixed group ships, trains, and launches as one system. Recovery and reuse are part of the design, and the aircraft is engineered for rate production rather than hand-built units.
Designed For
Distributed sensing and communications relay across a group of aircraft
Runway-independent, containerized launch from ground sites, vehicles, or ships
Common payload bay and interface across all mission configurations
Designed for recovery and reuse, with attritable operation as a planning option
Engineered for manufacturability and rate production
Intended Users
System Relationships
Relationships describe design intent between systems in development, not implemented or fielded integration.
Gallery
Some imagery on this website is rendered, illustrative, or produced with AI-assisted tools and may depict concepts rather than completed capabilities, conducted tests, or actual operations.
Quantum Payload Integration Concept
Quantum sensors perform remarkably in controlled laboratories and struggle on real platforms. Vibration, temperature, platform magnetism, and power are where laboratory performance goes to die. That integration gap, not sensor invention, is the problem DERECHO is working.
STRIX is being developed as the airborne half of that answer: a modular platform whose payload bay, power, isolation, and data interfaces are designed so compact quantum sensing, timing, and RF payloads can be carried, evaluated, and hardened in flight-representative conditions.
STRIX is not quantum-equipped. No quantum payload has been integrated or flown; payload dimensions and capacities are not published.
The common payload bay and interface as the mounting point for candidate quantum sensor payloads.
Real vibration, thermal, and electromagnetic conditions, the environment a fieldable sensor must survive.
Payload compute for fusing quantum-derived observations with classical sensing under PERCH.
Measurements, timing, and confidence designed to move over FORGEMESH to other platforms and operators.
Related
System in development. Configurations, capabilities, and imagery shown are developmental, illustrative, or notional and are subject to change. First flight-test articles are in fabrication; no STRIX variant has flown.