By Garrett Reim2021-02-25T20:30:00+00:00 The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) plans to flight test its Skyborg autonomous aircraft technology during Orange Flag exercises this summer for the first time. The AFRL has previously said tests would take place in July 2021. Participation in the Orange Flag exercises was previously undisclosed. Source: US Air Force The Skyborg programme remains in early development ,Brigadier General Heather Pringle, commander of AFRL, said during a press conference at the Air Force Association’s Aerospace Warfare Symposium on 24 February. “The Skyborg capability isn’t going to be a weapons school graduate wingman any time soon,” she says. “We are looking to take the components of the autonomy, fly it in some very rigorous test capabilities, such as the Orange Flag flights coming up this summer, and then look to slowly add capabilities, measure, learn from our successes, and then keep the programme going.”