The sound of 103 micro drones launched from an F/A-18 will give you nightmares

By Dyllan Furness January 11, 2017

The United States military successfully launched what it’s calling “one of the world’s largest micro-drone swarms” in October. At a test site in California, the 103 Perdix drones released from three F/A-18 Super Hornets demonstrated sophisticated swarming behaviors, including collective decision-making, adaptive formation flying, and self-healing, according to a Department of Defense press release. The feat is one of the most significant tests of the military’s autonomous flying systems, and was documented in a “60 Minutes” segment Sunday. The DoD shared a video of the test online, and from the ground the sound is terrifying.

“Due to the complex nature of combat, Perdix are not pre-programmed synchronized individuals, they are a collective organism, sharing one distributed brain for decision-making and adapting to each other like swarms in nature,” William Roper, director of the Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO), said in a press release. “Because every Perdix communicates and collaborates with every other Perdix, the swarm has no leader and can gracefully adapt to drones entering or exiting the team.”

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The DoD likens the swarm’s behavior to that of a sports team running a coach’s play, in that the swarm responds to specific instructions but decides itself how best to perform the mission. However, unlike most sports teams, their is no single leader among the Perdix swarm, so the drones can adapt to missions regardless of changes in numbers.

Perdix drones are inexpensive and small — with a wingspan under 12 inches — making them attractive for the Pentagon’s swarming missions. Meanwhile, new technologies and modifications made by engineers at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory have equipped these systems with military capabilities once exclusive to larger and more expensive machines.

Last May, the Navy began tests on Low-Cost UAV Swarm Technology (LOCUST), which is capable of launching swarms of reconnaissance drones. The Perdix drones will serve similar surveillance, intelligence, and reconnaissance functions.

The SCO is now searching for companies that can rapidly produce 1,000 units this year.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Dyllan Furness is a freelance writer from Florida. He covers strange science and emerging tech for Digital Trends, focusing…

Emerging Tech

Juiced Bikes sold at auction for $1.2 million, report says

The Juiced Bikes Scorpion X2 adds more power, upgraded tires, and an improved battery to the popular moped style e-bike.

Juiced Bikes, the San Diego-based maker of e-bikes, has been sold on an auction website for $1,225,000, according to a report from Electrek.Digital Trends recently reported how the company was showing signs of being on the brink of bankruptcy. The company and its executives had remained silent, while customer inquiries went unanswered and its website showed all products were out of stock. In addition, there were numerous reports of layoffs at the company.Yet, the most convincing sign was that the company’s assets appeared as listed for sale on an auction website used by companies that go out of business.Now, it appears that Juiced Bikes’ assets, including a dozen patents, multiple URLs, and the company’s inventory in both the U.S. and China, have been sold at auction, according to the report. It is likely that the buyer, who remains unknown, can capitalize on the brand and the overall value of the 15-year old company. Founded in 2009 by Tora Harris, a U.S. high-jump Olympian, Juiced Bikes was one of the early pioneers of the direct-to-consumer e-bike brands in the U.S. market.
The company had quickly built a reputation for the versatility of its e-bikes and the durability of their batteries. Over the years, the popularity of models such as the CrossCurrent, HyperScrambler, and RipCurrent only bolstered the brand’s status.Last year, Digital Trends named the Juiced Bikes Scorpion X2 as the best moped-style e-bike for 2023, citing its versatility, rich feature set, and performance.Juiced Bikes’ getting sold quickly might be a sign of what consulting firm Houlihan Lokey says is a recovery in the North American e-bike market.
The industry has had a roller-coaster ride during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: A huge spike in demand for e-bikes had combined with disrupted supply chains to create a supply/demand mismatch of “historic proportions," Houlihan Lokey said.

Cars

Rivian gets Knight Rider spooky for Halloween

Michael Knight sitting on the hood of his car KITT in a scene from Knight Rider.

Rivian vehicles are known for giving drivers the chance to take the party on the road, whether it’s stowing a travel kitchen onboard or using its elaborate software systems to spice things up.With Halloween just around the corner, the automaker based in Plymouth, Michigan, is pulling out some treats from its bag of tricks: Rivian owners are getting a number of options to turn their vehicles into traditional spooky or full-on sci-fi entertainment hubs.A software update available on the Rivian Mobile App until November 4 provides Car Costumes, which take over the vehicle’s screen, lighting, and sound systems while in park to transform it into three different cars.Nostalgic fans of the Knight Rider TV series will be pleased with the option to turn their Rivians into the famous K.I.T.T. crime-fighting car. After choosing the option on the app, the car’s interior display system features K.I.T.T.’s diagnostics on screen while playing the original show intro music. Here's an extra treat for Rivian Gen 2 owners: The exterior light bar will feature K.I.T.T.’s iconic beaming red light while playing its scanner sound effect.No-less nostalgic fans of Back to the Future movies will also get their treat with a chance to turn their vehicle into the DeLorean Time Machine. With this option, the screen turns into the classic time-traveling interface while the audio system plays the movie’s music and acceleration sound effects. Once again, Rivian Gen 2 owners get an extra treat. Hitting the key 88 mph button will engage the car’s lighting and sound effects in the front and back of the car to whizz you through the sound barrier.For a more traditional spooky time, you can opt for the Haunted Rivian car costume, featuring eight different sound effects and three different color themes. Static and ghosts will take over your interior display.Rivian Gen 1 owners get a green animation on the outside of the vehicle. Gen 2 owners can turn the exterior light bar into whichever color option they find most frightful.

Cars

The Nissan Rogue is joining the plug-in hybrid club in 2025

nissan rogue hybrid 2025 2024

It might have taken a while, and slumping sales of its most popular SUV, but Nissan has finally taken the step to offer hybrid vehicles in the U.S. The Japanese automaker will add a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain to the 2026 Rogue compact SUV, which should be available stateside sometime next year, Nissan Americas chief planning officer Ponz Pandikuthira told Automotive News.A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) typically runs on electric power until its battery is almost depleted, at which point it automatically switches over to using a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine. The battery can be recharged conventionally from the outside or through regenerative braking.
While Nissan has been offering popular fully electric vehicles (EVs) such as the Leaf and the Ariya for years, it has surprised many by not joining the hybrid bandwagon, especially for the Rogue. Competitors such as the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V, which do provide the part-fuel, part-electric power capacity, have seen their sales surging. Meanwhile, sales of the Rogue have slumped this year.
That’s why Nissan is partnering with Mitsubishi to start offering its first-ever electrically assisted car in the U.S. next year.
According to the Automotive News report, the Rogue will be outfitted with a similar powertrain found in the Mitsubishi Outlander. In that model, a 2.4-liter gas engine powers the front wheels, while two electric motors create an all-wheel drive system that can either work on its own or in conjunction with the gas engine. As the Outlander is able to deliver 248 horsepower, that would make the Rogue PHEV more powerful than the existing model’s 201 hp. The Outlander is also rated for 38 miles of electric driving by the EPA.
In addition, Nissan is planning to bring its non-plug-in, e-Power series hybrid technology to the U.S. in 2026. This technology, already available outside the U.S., also uses electric motors to power the wheels while using the gas engine to charge the battery.