The Roadrunner is described by Anduril as a “reusable, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL), operator-supervised Autonomous Air Vehicle (AAV)” featuring twin turbojet engines and modular payload options. These engines allow for vertical launch without a booster and enable the drone to reach high subsonic speeds during flight.
Nasty looking things. pic.twitter.com/Mb8GbUT3Id
— Anduril Industries (@anduriltech) April 30, 2025
A central feature of the system is its partial reusability, particularly in the Roadrunner-M variant, which carries a high-explosive fragmentation warhead. If it fails to hit a target, the interceptor can execute a powered vertical landing for recovery and reuse, a concept likened to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets.
Designed for ground-based air defence, the Roadrunner-M can quickly launch, detect, engage, and neutralise a wide range of aerial threats. If no engagement occurs, the system can be recovered and relaunched at near-zero additional cost.
Unlike conventional loitering munitions that are typically expendable, Roadrunner’s reusability offers both cost efficiency and operational flexibility. Its modular design further allows the platform to adapt to diverse mission needs beyond kinetic strike roles.
