The US Army is testing an autonomous version of its Volcano mine dispenser for mass mine-laying. According to reporting, the existing Volcano system is designed to spread mines over a defined area, covering about 32 acres and dispensing up to 960 mines in a single operation. Both outlets say the current effort focuses on adding autonomy to that capability, moving from a dispenser that operates under controlled procedures to one that can perform key functions without direct human control for the mine-laying task. The tests are part of the Army’s broader effort to develop and evaluate autonomous ground capabilities, particularly systems that can rapidly and accurately deploy munitions across a battlefield area. Specific details of the test conditions, timelines, or safety measures are not provided in the articles reviewed. The reporting emphasizes the planned transition from the Volcano dispenser’s established area-coverage and capacity characteristics to an autonomous configuration being evaluated by the Army.