The Lancet usually operates in hunter-killer teams with reconnaissance drones, and the latest upgrade was supposed to give it a high level of autonomy. The drone is equipped with the NVIDIA Jetson TX2 module, designed for AI computing in small systems like drones. Despite sanctions, the TX2 seems to be available to Russia via Alibaba. However, there are questions about how effectively the TX2 can identify ground objects without human oversight. Recent videos suggest that the automated target recognition software was rolled out prematurely and has been recalled.
Key takeaways:
- Russia's Lancet kamikaze drone, a low-cost, 35-pound munition, has been successful in the conflict, effective at knocking out artillery, tanks, and other targets from up to 40 miles away.
- The Lancet was recently upgraded with a new lock-on-target mode, making it potentially the first truly autonomous battlefield weapon, but the automated mode now appears to have been disabled due to glitches.
- The Lancet drones are equipped with the NVIDIA Jetson TX2 module, an edge device designed to provide “true AI computing” to small, low-power systems like drones, but the effectiveness of the TX2 in identifying objects on the ground without human oversight is questionable.
- While discussions on autonomous weapons continue at the UN, with plans for legally-binding international laws regulating them by 2026, such weapons may already have been used on a massive scale.