US company develops autonomous flying camouflage that can follow military vehicles and deploy decoys
Texas-based Vigil Autonomy introduced Air Cover in late October, an autonomous flying camouflage system intended to conceal military vehicles and equipment from thermal-infrared and radar surveillance. Four corner-mounted lift units position interchangeable membranes using the company's ISR Control software, with proposed coverage areas of four, nine and 100 square metres. The company targets respective active-flight endurance of four, three and two hours, and offers concealment and decoy modes for repositioning cover or presenting an alternative signature. These remain manufacturer targets: no military procurement or independently validated operational evaluation has been confirmed, and measured signature-reduction performance is undisclosed.