Historic First: US Air Force’s F-22 pilot directs autonomous Fury drone from cockpit

What happened

An airborne quarterback directs the drone According to The War Zone , the F-22 and YFQ-44A took off from Edwards Air Force Base in California and joined up in the air. The demonstration included dynamic flight maneuvers and simulated combat tasks.

A US Air Force F-22 Raptor pilot directed an uncrewed YFQ-44A Fury aircraft in flight for the first time, marking a major step toward a future in which crewed fighters command autonomous drones during combat missions. The demonstration, conducted earlier in October 2026, paired the stealth fighter with Anduril’s Fury Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA).

Instead of flying the drone remotely with individual controls, the F-22 pilot sent high-level tactical instructions that the drone’s onboard autonomy software interpreted and executed. The test advances the Air Force’s effort to turn uncrewed aircraft into autonomous wingmen that can accompany crewed fighters, extend their reach, and provide additional combat capacity without requiring a pilot in every aircraft.