IT’S GOT A GREAT LOOK, RETRO-FUTURE RIGHT OUT OF THE ’50S: Air Force-Backed Hypersonic Aircraft Startup Flies Demonstrator.

The latest flight took off from Spaceport America over White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, and operators flew Quarterhorse remotely from the company’s ground-based flight deck. The unmanned aircraft is about as big as an F-16 fighter and three times the size of its predecessor Mk 1, which flew for the first time last May.

“Hermeus’ Quarterhorse program follows a rapid, iterative development roadmap in which multiple aircraft are designed, built, and flown in quick succession—steadily increasing speed and performance,” the company said in a statement. “By continuously building and flying prototypes, the company uses real flight data to refine designs, reduce risk, and accelerate progress with each new aircraft.”

Part of an iterative development and test plan, the flight is a step toward Hermeus’ larger goal of mass-producing high-speed drones and passenger aircraft for both commercial and defense customers. In the near-term, officials have said the next goal is to fly the next iteration of Quarterhorse, Mk 2.2, at supersonic speeds.

Faster? Please!