The American drone XQ0-58A Valkyrie was damaged in tests in Arizona, The Drive portal reported citing a statement by the US Air Force.
The accident occurred when the drone returned to the ground. The cause of the incident was a strong wind and a malfunctioning of the soft landing system.
“The prototype of the shock-absorbing system, which was used for the initial series of tests, but not intended for final operational use, underwent an anomaly, as a result of which the device was damaged during landing”, – the manufacturer Kratos commented on the accident.
The Valkyrie was developed by the US Air Force Research Laboratory in collaboration with Kratos. The drone is designed to accompany fifth-generation fighter F-35.