On August 6, 2026, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory awarded Dzyne Technologies a contract valued at over $6 million to advance the Long-Range Grasshopper autonomous aerial resupply system. The award funds engineering focused on extended flight endurance, modular payload integration, and autonomous navigation in GPS-denied environments for both turbine-powered and unpowered glider variants. This initiative evaluates the operational viability of expendable, air-launched cargo aircraft for routine logistics under Agile Combat Employment without exposing crewed transport aircraft to contested airspace. Read full defense news at this link...
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| The Long-Range Grasshopper was developed because users of the original unpowered Grasshopper glider wanted to release the cargo much farther from the target, leading Dzyne and AFRL to integrate a turbine propulsion. (Picture source: Dzyne Technologies) |