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Alexander Balan was on a California beach when the idea for a new kind of drone came to him. While tossing a football, he realized that its form factor could translate into a lightweight unmanned aerial system (UAS) designed for rapid deployment and autonomous targeting. This eureka moment led Balan to found Xdown, the company that’s building the P.S. Killer (PSK)an autonomous kamikaze drone that works like a hand grenade and can be thrown like a football. To create the PSK, Xdown teamed up with several defense companies, including Corvid Technologies, a North Carolina-based military contractor that specializes in the design, development, and prototyping of weapons systems. While the Xdown hasnt completed all the planned capabilities of the drone (it’s currently in the testing phase), its form factor, deployment mechanism, and propulsion system could completely change the way soldiers operate drones. Instead of depending on remote controls, the PSK will be operated by AI. And if the PSK works how Balan says it should, it could change the battlefield as we know it. The Xdown drone stands in sharp contrast to current first-person-view drones (FPV), which require time to set up (you need to put on goggles and gamepads for control) and the expertise to fly them. Balan, an engineer with a background in high-speed vertical takeoff and landing (HSVTOL) systems, has been a keen observer of the increasing use of low-cost drones in Ukraines defense against Russia, a force superior in numbers and equipment. Drones are the future of modern warfare, he says. With an estimated 15,500 Russian armored vehicles lost to Ukrainian FPVs, it’s fair to say drones are the present of modern warfare. But Balan believes that in a world where one second could be the difference between life and death, a drone needs to be more accessible and easily deployable. He says soldiers should be able to grab it, switch it on, and throw itjust like a football. Inside the design According to Balan, the football form factor serves two purposes. Operationally, the shape is so compact and sturdy that you can carry it anywhere. Made of composite material, the drone weighs 1.7 pounds when empty and is capable of carrying another 1.7 pounds, which could be an explosive head or other cargo. The PSK can carry one or two 40 mm grenades commonly used in grenade launchers today. The grenades could be high-explosive dual purpose, designed to penetrate armor while also creating an explosive fragmentation effect against personnel. These grenades can also airburstprogrammed to explode in the air above a target for maximum effect. This allows for multiple mission scenarios. Infantry, special operations, and counterterrorism units can easily store PSK drones in a field backpack and tote them around, taking one out to throw at any given time. They can also be packed by the dozen in cargo airplanes, which can fly over an area and drop swarms of them for targeted bombing runs in which each drone goes for a designated objective. Aerodynamically, the shape is also good for flight, Balan says, as any quarterback can tell you. The PSK has a thrust-vectoring propulsion system, which can both make it fly much longer and change its course as needed. Balan claims it can reach speeds of up to 135 knots and has a range of more than 40 miles. [Photo: Xdown] Once thrown, the device activates within two seconds in the air, deploying articulated stabilizer fins and rotor blades that appear from thin slots on its sides. The PSK is a throw-and-forget drone, Balan says, referencing the fire-and-forget missile that, once locked on to a target, can seek it on its own. The PSK is designed to autonomously identify and strike high-value targets such as armored vehicles, enemy UAVs, and personnel. He tells me that once Xdown finishes its development, the drone will eventually operate through multiple layers of targeting logic. The PSK is programmed with mission parameters and general target signatures, he says. This means that the AI knows what to look forsay, a Russian T-80 tankand go for it. Once deployed, its onboard AI processes data from optical cameras, infrared sensors, radar, and lidar to classify and track potential threats, Balan explains, noting that the system continuously evaluates battlefield conditions and selects targets based on predefined threat-assessment parameters. It can also serve as a reconnaissance drone when equipped with a video sensor head. When launched as a swarm, multiple PSKs will be able to communicate in real time, distributing targets among themselves to optimize strike efficiency, Balan claims. This swarm coordination prevents redundant attacks and maximizes battlefield effectiveness. According to Xdown, the PSK will have a wide range of potential applications. It can be an asset in maritime security operations, where it could be used to intercept small, fast-moving vessels, or conduct reconnaissance. The drone could also be employed for convoy protection, detecting threats such as teams armed with shoulder-mounted weapons or roadside bombs before they strike. Special operations forces could use it for high-value targets, leveraging its compact size and autonomous targeting to strike enemy positions with minimal setup time. Counterterrorism units could deploy the PSK for precision strikes in urban environments, reducing collateral damage compared to conventional airstrikes. It could even become a counter-UAV system, capable of autonomously identifying and intercepting enemy drones. Balan says the company is also working on a nonlethal version of the PSK, replacing its warhead with a supply container so that its able to deliver food, medical kits, or ammunition to frontline troops in contested environments (though given the 1.7-pound payload capacity, such packages would obviously be small). [Photo: Xdown] The dangers of AI targeting This targeting and reduced collateral damage is precisely one of PSK’s murky points, however. The drone is preprogrammed to detect certain types of enemy targets, but s Elon Musk or anyone who has tried autonomous driving can tell you, this can be problematic in the known, predictable environments of a city at peace. In the battlefield, where chaos reigns and actors can disguise themselves in different shapes and forms, it can get extremely tricky. AI can get confused and attack innocent civilians who might be near military vehicles or get mistaken for enemy soldiers. Conversely, the enemy can also disguise itself to confuse the AI systems and avoid detection. AI will continue to improve to the point of being able to mitigate these issues, but it’s not there yet. Theres a reason why scientists want to regulate autonomous killing machines and ban the use of AI for kill decisions. Ukraine is already using the HX-2, a kamikaze strike drone with AI capable of autonomous targeting. The medium-size drone, designed and made by German manufacturer Helsing, requires approval by a human to make the kill. But the Ukrainians are in such dire need that its logical to expect these fail-safes to eventually be switched off. As Vincent Boulaninprogram director of the governance of AI at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institutetold me during a recent interview: Its difficult for Ukraine to think of high-level principles about what constitutes the responsible use of autonomy right now, fighting the war. Balan says that the PSK has an abort-and-return function that gets activated if no viable target is detected. The abort function relies on telemetry override and onboard navigation. The drone calculates the optimal return route and either glides back to the operator or enters a controlled descent, he explains, noting that this feature prevents unnecessary munition waste and increases operational efficiency. Xdown claims that the PSK can operate in GPS-denied environments, resisting electronic warfare measures that typically disable other drones, thanks to its AI and visible light and infrared camera sensors. And its so small and so quiet (it has an acoustic signature of 55 decibels at 20 feet), the company contends, that it is nearly undetectable to conventional air defense systems. How far from actual combat? Balan says Xdown has already secured thousands of preorders from both domestic and allied military buyers. The company plans to begin delivery of training models by midsummer, with full-scale production set for 2026. The initial technology readiness levels demonstrated that the design exceeds current requirements, and we believe this is the ultimate tactical UAS for modern and future warfare, Balan says. Xdown is currently refining its aerodynamic performance and guidance systems through controlled throws and simulations. We anticipate multiple test throws over the next two months to optimize thrust vectoring and wing articulation under different conditions, Balan says. Thrust vectoring means that the rotor can adjust the orientation of the blades in real time to correct its course, fly, find, and destroy its target, so it can be operated effectively even by someone who isnt particularly dexterous at throwing a football. Balan says that one Defense Department official told him This is the most American munition I have ever seen. Which, of course it is. Time will tell whether the PSK lives up to its ambitious claims. But if it works as advertised, it could mark a major shift in drone warfare on its launch convenience alone.
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As President Donald Trump’s threats of a trade war with two U.S. neighbors becomes a reality, Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, is asking Canadians to buy local. The Made in Canada label and other local country-of-origin labeling is about to take on a whole new level of significance. Country-of-origin labels are a helpful way to advertise that a product is locally made, but with the threat of wide-ranging tariffs, these labels could soon also signal to consumers that a product’s price tag isn’t artificially inflated due to Trump’s trade war. Speaking last month after announcing retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. should Trump go forward with his plans, Trudeau said for Canadians, it was the time to choose Canada. "Buy Canadian Instead" signs going up in BC Liquor stores pic.twitter.com/FjgGqKViUO— Riley Donovan (@valdombre) February 2, 2025 It might mean checking the labels at the supermarket and picking Canadian-made products, he said. It might mean opting for Canadian rye over Kentucky bourbon, or foregoing Florida orange juice altogether. Already, Buy Canadian Instead signs went up at a B.C. Liquor Store in Vancouver while in Ontario, a province-controlled alcohol wholesaler pulled U.S. liquor from the shelves. There could soon be more to come, and there are signs other countries are looking to protect their own domestic production. On Monday, the Australian government said it would invest in protecting and promoting the country’s Australian Made, Australian Grown initiative over the next three years. The homegrown boost There’s a benefit to homegrown goods. A 2023 Morning Consult report found nearly two-thirds of U.S. consumers said they seek out products that are Made in America and nearly 50% said they would be willing to pay more. But for some products, like cars, which are made across multiple countries, it isn’t always as simple as slapping on a simple sticker about where it was made. The Canadian government regulates what claims products can make about being made in the country. Its Competition Bureau requires products that claim to be a Product of Canada to have 98% Canadian content while products that claim to be Made in Canada must have at least 51% Canadian content and include a qualifying statement that the product is made in part from imported content. In the U.S., Made in America USA claims are regulated by the Federal Trade Commission which makes its own allowances for products made across borders, like Made in U.S. from Imported Parts for a product assembled in the U.S. with parts from other countries. The rise of economic nationalism could draw more attention to where our products come from and the varied countries that make up our supply chain. Should patriotic purchasing become a higher priority for consumers, then, country-of-origin labels could carry more weight than ever.
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Violence is just part of the job. Every nurse and healthcare worker experiences it at some point. Sentiments like this echo across American hospitals and healthcare facilities, capturing a disturbing and growing reality. Though Americans think of nursing as the most trusted profession, we often fail to see that its also one of the most dangerous. An alarming 8 in 10 nurses face violence at work. As a result, healthcare workers are more than four times as likely to be injured by workplace violence than workers in all other industries combined. Despite these staggering numbers, the full extent of this epidemic may not be fully understood because nurses and other healthcare workers chronically underreport violent encounters. The American Nurses Association estimates that only 20% to 60% of incidents are accounted for. Additionally, there is no agreed-upon definition for workplace violence or clear way of tracking it on a national level. As a practicing bedside nurse, I have experienced my fair share of workplace violence. As a professor of nursing, my research shows that violence has become a normalized but underreported part of working in healthcare and that it affects the care patients receive in pervasive ways. What really counts as workplace violence in healthcare? When people think about workplace violence, they often imagine dramatic physical assaults. Assaults do happen, but violence directed at workers can take many other forms, including verbal threats, intimidation, sexual aggression, and bullying. What makes defining and measuring workplace violence especially difficult in healthcare settings is the range of people involved. Violence may stem from patients, their families, coworkers, or even disgruntled members of the public. Nurses and healthcare staff work with people during incredibly stressful moments in their lives. Sometimes patients are experiencing medical conditions that may cause them to act out or be confused, such as dementia, delirium, psychosis, or even postoperative reactions to anesthesia. Some healthcare organizations use vague definitions, such as workplace violence is any violent act or threat of violence, while nursing organizations advocate for tiered definitions delineating between perpetrator and intent. Although not all employees can recite their organizations official definition of workplace violence, ask a nurse whether they have ever experienced a threatening situation at work and they will likely have stories at the ready. In my 14 years of nursing practice, nurses shared many different types of threatening encounters. They reported being screamed at by distraught visitors and having their hair and wrists grabbed by patients who are trying to bite or spit at them. I have personally experienced having objects thrown at me from across the room and being threatened with retribution by patients family members. Nurses also shared more extreme experiences in which they or their coworkers were injured in the course of trying to simply deliver care. Many described the emotional impact of watching a coworker hurt badly enough to require medical attention. From my observations, its not just the major incidents but the countless small threats or insensitive behaviors that add up over a nurses career. These seemingly less-threatening events are much harder to document, and many nurses shrug them off, but the small infractions take a toll when they happen repeatedly. Breaking the culture of silence A culture of silence makes such incidents hard to track. The medical-surgical nursing unit at the hospital where I conducted my research has a healthy and supportive culture. Yet in my ongoing doctoral work, which will be published in May, of the 74% percent of staff that acknowledged experiencing workplace violence in the past year, only 30% reported the event. When nurses stay silent, whether from fear, futility or institutional pressure, violence becomes an accepted part of the job. Without accurate data, healthcare facilities dont understand the true extent of the problem, cant implement effective safety measures, and struggle to support their workers in meaningful ways. There are common themes as to why nurses underreport violence. Some nurses think reporting does not make a difference. Others find the lack of clarity in defining workplace violence or reporting policies demotivating and confusing. Nurses also report a lack of support from management, a fear of reprisal, or a sense of shame when reporting. Commonly, many nurses simply find reporting tools to be too difficult and time-consuming to use. The hidden costs to healthcare For healthcare workers, the consequences extend far beyond physical injuries. Workplace violence in all its forms contributes to anxiety, depression or PTSD, as well as job dissatisfaction. Dangerous workplace violence trends are a contributing factor in 55% of healthcare workers feeling burned out and 18% of newly licensed registered nurses leaving the profession within the first year. That is a huge problem, considering that the United States is projected to have 193,100 nursing job openings per year until 2032, yet will produce only roughly 177,400 new nurses in that time frame. This also has vast repercussions for patient care. During my nursing career, I observed my peers developing complex strategies to protect themselves while trying to provide compassionate care. Like me, they tended to carefully position themselves near doorways, maintained constant awareness of their surroundings and silently assessed each new interaction for potential risks. These invisible precautions reflect the far-reaching effects of healthcare violence. When nurses are hypervigilant about their safety, they have less emotional energy for patient care. When theyre rushing between rooms due to short staffing caused by violence-related turnover, they have less time for each patient. When they are worried about what the next patient encounter may bring, they are increasing their anxiety, fear, and stress rather than focusing on delivering quality care Creating safer healthcare together Each healthcare visit is a chance for patients and their families to improve nursing care for everyone. When you visit a hospital or clinic, try to understand the stress that healthcare workers are under and express your needs and concerns calmly. You never know what your nurse is dealing with in their interactions with other patients. They try to compartmentalize and give you their full attention, but they might also be experiencing a difficult and traumatic situation right next door. It also helps to share information that might be relevant to caring for your family member, such as whether their medical condition is causing them to act differently than normal. And you should speak up if you witness any forms of aggressive behavior. These actions might seem small, but they support healthcare staff and help prevent violence in healthcare settings. Nurses are trained to keep information private, to be problem-solvers and to bear the burden of the job, so they dont always seek support. If you have a nurse or healthcare worker in your family or circle of friends, let them know you care. Supporting their safety validates their work and leads to better care for everyone. Jason Blomquist is an assistant professor of nursing at Boise State University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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