Samuel King Jr.
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – With the low rumble of Air Force fighter engines echoing in the distance, four and then eight motorized propellers of two unmanned aerial systems buzzed to life in an open field of the Eglin Test and Training Range Oct. 8.
The two UAS in flight, one an Air Force-owned TRV-150 and the other, Near Earth Autonomy’s Griff 135, marked the first time the two aircraft flew together for a test mission.
The mission, facilitated by the Autonomy, Data, and AI Experimentation Proving Ground and supported by 413th Flight Test Squadron personnel, reached a few milestones for the 2-year-old program.
The mission was the first time the 413th FLTS flight-tested the TRV-150 here as well as Near Earth’s first flight test with an Air Force aircraft.
This was the third test mission for Near Earth at the Proving Ground in less than a year. They were the first third-party developer to test their autonomy here in Oct. 2023.
“Testing these capabilities quickly and effectively is critical to moving the Air Force forward,” said Lt. Col. Robert Waller, 96th Operations Group deputy commander. “One of the reasons the ADAx Proving Ground was created was to be able to experiment and try new ideas with Air Force-beneficial concepts and platforms with a level of urgency required to meet today’s advancements in modern warfare.”
An eight-foot Griff 135 unmanned aerial system rises sits ready for its next mission on the Eglin Air Force Base range Oct. 8. The third-party-developed UAS flew for the first time with an Air Force UAS to test its aircraft avoidance capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.) 
An Air Force TRV-150 unmanned aerial system sits ready for its next flight Oct. 8 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The flight was the first test for the aircraft at Eglin and also the first time flying with a 3rd-party-developed UAS. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.) 
An Air Force TRV-150 unmanned aerial system sits ready for its next flight Oct. 8 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The flight was the first test for the aircraft at Eglin and also the first time flying with a 3rd-party-developed UAS. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.) 
An eight-foot Griff 135 unmanned aerial system flies above the Eglin Air Force Base range Oct. 8. The third-party-developed UAS flew for the first time with an Air Force UAS to test its aircraft avoidance capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.) 
An eight-foot Griff 135 unmanned aerial system rises above the Eglin Air Force Base range Oct. 8. The third-party-developed UAS flew for the first time with an Air Force UAS to test its aircraft avoidance capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.) 
An eight-foot Griff 135 unmanned aerial system rises above the Eglin Air Force Base range’s tree line Oct. 8. The third-party-developed UAS flew for the first time with an Air Force UAS to test its aircraft avoidance capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.) 
An Air Force TRV-150 unmanned aerial system flies over the Eglin Air Force Base range Oct. 8. The flight was the first test for the aircraft at Eglin and also the first time flying with a 3rd-party-developed UAS. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.) 
An Air Force TRV-150 unmanned aerial system rises above the Eglin Air Force Base range Oct. 8. The flight was the first test for the aircraft at Eglin and also the first time flying with a 3rd-party-developed UAS. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.) 
An Air Force TRV-150 unmanned aerial system sits ready for its next flight Oct. 8 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The flight was the first test for the aircraft at Eglin and also the first time flying with a 3rd-party-developed UAS. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)