XQ-58A Valkyrie returns to flight after October mishap

A demonstrator for the Air Force's effort to quickly acquire low-cost, expendable aircraft that may eventually play a role in the Advanced Battle Management System has returned to flight after experiencing a mishap in October.

Per a statement by the Air Force Research Lab, the Kratos-built XQ-58A Valkyrie drone completed a successful fourth flight test at Yuma Proving Ground, AZ, on Thursday.

The notice says Valkyrie flew at a higher altitude than during previous tests, allowing researchers to collect data about the aircraft's response to temperature and vibration "in an operational environment more representative of real-world flight conditions."

The new test follows a probe the Safety Investigation Board completed after the XQ-58A sustained damage following its third flight test in October. High surface winds and an issue with the Valkyrie's recovery system caused a mishap upon landing, AFRL said at the time.

A fifth and final flight test is planned for later this year, the statement adds. The Valkyrie is a main contender for the Air Force's Skyborg program, which the service's Chief Architect Preston Dunlap said may carry the communications gateway, data link and antenna at the next ABMS demonstration in April.