The US Air Force Research Lab has released a video of the first flight of the new aircraft during testing after keeping the Valkyrie under tight wraps for over two years, Sputnik reported quoting The Drive.

The drone, developed by Kratos Defence, a California-based defence firm, is said to have spent some 76 minutes in flight, with another four test flights planned to scrutinise system functionality, aerodynamic performance, and its launch and recovery systems, according to The Drive.

The drone has a presumed range of over 2,000 miles (over 3,200 km) and can be armed with precision-guided bombs or electronic warfare and surveillance equipment. Importantly, the Valkyrie can be launched using rocket boosters, meaning that, unlike many existing US drone programmes, it will not require a runway to take off.

In a statement, Air Force Research Lab programme manager Doug Szczublewski boasted that the XQ-58A was "the first example of a class of UAF that is defined by low procurement and operating costs while providing game changing combat capability."