Defense technology startup Anduril Industries has encountered multiple failures during testing of its autonomous weapons systems, according to The Wall Street Journal.
In May 2025, more than a dozen drone boats failed during a Navy exercise off the California coast when Anduril’s Lattice autonomy software rejected inputs and caused the vessels to idle. The boats became “dead” in the water, creating potential hazards for other vessels in the exercise. Military personnel worked overnight towing the failed boats to shore until 9 a.m. the next day.
Four sailors filed an unusual warning in a routine follow-up report, citing “continuous operational security violations, safety violations, and contracting performer misguidances” by Anduril. They warned of “extreme risk to force and potential for loss of life” if the software configuration wasn’t immediately corrected.
Founded in 2017 by tech billionaire Palmer Luckey, Anduril has become one of the most prominent defense tech startups. The privately held company was valued at more than $30 billion in its last funding round and has won numerous military contracts to build autonomous aircraft, counter-drone systems, and battlefield management technology.
Luckey has emphasized the company’s fast-moving approach. “We spend our own money building defense products that work, rather than asking taxpayers to foot the bill,” he said in an April TED Talk. “Unlike traditional contractors, we build, test and deploy our products in months, not years.”
However, the Journal reports that Anduril’s rapid development approach has resulted in setbacks during closed military exercises, at private testing ranges, and on the battlefield in Ukraine.
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