Dual Use

Partnership with Amentum Supports Department of Homeland Security Airspace Awareness Efforts Pierce Aerospace announced a $10 million subcontract from Amentum to support the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate. This agreement focuses on advancing Remote Identification (Remote ID) technology to enhance airspace awareness. Supporting Homeland Security with Remote ID The contract, awarded… Read more: Pierce Aerospace Secures $10M Contract for Remote ID Technology

FAA BVLOS Waiver for American Robotics Advances Remote Operations Capabilities Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS) has announced that its subsidiary, American Robotics, received a new Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This waiver allows expanded drone operations over people and moving vehicles, managed remotely from the company’s Baltimore… Read more: Ondas’ American Robotics Secures FAA Waiver for Expanded Drone Operations

28 American Entities Added to Restricted List, Including Major Aerospace and Defense Firms On January 2, 2025, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced the addition of 28 US entities to its export control list. This move aims to protect China’s national security and interests, targeting several major American aerospace and defense companies. This escalation comes amidst… Read more: China Expands Export Controls on US Defense Companies

New Features Address Customer Feedback and Advance Operational Efficiency Arcsky has announced the launch of the X55 V2, an upgraded version of its X55 industrial drone. The company developed the new model based on two years of operational feedback and technological advances, aiming to meet the complex needs of industrial applications. “The X55 V2 represents… Read more: Arcsky Introduces the X55 V2: New American-Made Aircraft with Enhancements for Industrial Drone Applications

New Certifications Highlight NDAA Compliance and Cybersecurity Standards for Secure Drone Operations Inspired Flight has announced that its IF1200A and IF800 Tomcat drones have received Green UAS certification from the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI). These certifications ensure that the platforms meet National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) compliance and cybersecurity requirements. Additionally, the… Read more: Inspired Flight Drones Achieve Both Green UAS and Blue UAS Certifications

Certification Confirms NDAA Compliance for Broader Commercial and Government Use Ascent AeroSystems’ Spirit UAV has been added to the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) Green UAS Cleared List. This designation confirms the Spirit meets cybersecurity and supply chain standards required for NDAA compliance. The Green UAS program extends the principles of the Department… Read more: Ascent AeroSystems Spirit Receives AUVSI Green UAS Certification

Limitations May Impact Ukraine, the U.S., and Europe as Drone Technology Evolves in Wartime The Chinese government plans to implement stricter controls on the export of drone parts in early 2025. This shift is already affecting manufacturers and buyers across the globe. According to reports, Chinese companies have reduced or halted sales of batteries, motors,… Read more: China’s Export Restrictions on Drone Parts Could Reshape Global Supply Chains

Join us on Tuesday, December 3, at 3:00 PM EST for the latest episode of the Public Safety Drone Review. This special year-end episode will reflect on the top stories and key issues that shaped the public safety drone landscape in 2024. Hosted by Tim Martin, Miriam McNabb, and Charles Werner, this discussion will highlight… Read more: Upcoming Public Safety Drone Review: The Year in Drones – Top Stories and Issues of 2024

A recent simulation conducted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) paints a stark picture of the U.S. defense industrial base, revealing critical vulnerabilities in its ability to support military operations in the event of a large-scale conflict. The findings underscore the urgent need for public-private partnerships, increased investment in manufacturing capacity, and… Read more: CSIS Simulation Highlights Urgent Need to Strengthen U.S. Defense Industrial Base

Military End-Users Evaluate Over 35 Drone Platforms at Twentynine Palms (all images credit Defense Innovation Unit) On November 8, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) held the first annual Blue UAS Refresh event at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California. The three-day event brought together more than 40 military drone end-users… Read more: Defense Innovation Unit Hosts First Annual Blue UAS Refresh Event

New Contract Aims to Enhance Battlefield Capabilities Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: RCAT), through its subsidiary Teal Drones, has been selected as the production provider for the U.S. Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) Program of Record. This announcement follows a rigorous test and evaluation process conducted by the Army Project Management Office for Uncrewed Aircraft… Read more: U.S. Army Selects Red Cat’s Teal Drones for Short Range Reconnaissance Program

U.S.-Made Smart Plane Innovations Enhance Threat Detection and Tactical Flexibility WingXpand, an autonomous smart plane manufacturer based in St. Louis, Missouri, has announced a new collaboration with Raytheon, an RTX business known for its defense technology. This collaboration aims to advance capabilities in threat detection and operational flexibility for defense and civil applications. Additionally, WingXpand… Read more: WingXpand Announces Partnership with Raytheon and New VTOL Capability for Defense and Civil Missions

From Identifying Threats in the Sky to Detecting Firearms on the Ground, ZeroEyes Expands Drone Capabilities for Law Enforcement and Defense by DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magil ZeroEyes develops drone-detection technology, UAV-based gun detection By Jim Magill Drones are tools that can be used for both good and bad purposes. In the right hands, they… Read more: ZeroEyes Takes Aim at UAV Security: New Drone Detection and Gun Detection Tech for Safer Skies

Acquisition Expands Delair’s Reach in Defense and Civil Markets, Leveraging Grenoble’s Technological Hub to Compete Globally in Robotics and Industrial Drone Solution by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian J. McNabb French drone developer Delair recently announced the acquisition of Grenoble-based swarm drone developer SQUADRONE SYSTEM. SQUADRONE serves both the military market, through the TAMOS (Tactical Multi-Objectives… Read more: Delair Acquires SQUADRONE SYSTEM: Strengthening France’s Drone Industry with Advanced Swarm and Anti-Drone Technology

At the FIX2024 conference in Daegu, South Korea, RGB Labs showcased its cutting-edge product, Arion, an AI-powered edge computer designed to elevate unmanned systems to the next level. With a client base that includes the Korean military and international drone service providers, RGB Labs is rapidly becoming a key player in the global unmanned systems… Read more: RGB Labs: Open Platform AI Technology for Unmanned Systems

New Vue TV128+ Enhances Thermal Sensitivity for Industrial Inspections and Public Safety Teledyne FLIR, a division of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, has announced the release of the Vue TV128+, a cutting-edge camera module designed for the SIRAS™ professional uncrewed aerial system (UAS). Customers have come to expect the best sensors from Teledyne FLIR, and the SIRAS… Read more: Teledyne FLIR Introduces Advanced Dual-Sensor Payload for SIRAS Drone

New UAV Contract Expands Drone Deliveries to Lithuanian and Ukrainian Armed Forces Vilnius-based drone company Granta Autonomy has announced a €1 million contract with the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence (MoD) to supply its first-person-view (FPV) GA-10FPV-AI quadcopter drone. The UAVs will be delivered to both the Lithuanian military and Ukrainian armed forces as part… Read more: Lithuanian Startup Granta Autonomy Strengthens Military Support for Ukraine with New €1M Drone Order

The Initiative Aims to Improve Force Protection by Addressing Threats from Small Uncrewed Aerial Systems The Pentagon’s Replicator program is shifting its focus to a pressing concern for modern warfare: countering small uncrewed aerial systems (C-sUAS). According to recent announcements from Department of Defense (DoD) leadership, the second phase of the Replicator initiative, known as… Read more: Pentagon’s Replicator 2 to Focus on Countering Small Drones

New System Offers Autonomous Drone Deployment for Critical Operations Skydio has announced the release of Dock for X10, a new system designed to make autonomous drone operations more accessible and scalable. This technology builds on the company’s long-standing commitment to autonomy, enabling drones to operate without the constant attention of a skilled pilot. According to… Read more: Skydio Introduces Dock for X10: The Future of Scalable, Autonomous Drone Flight

New Payload Slashes Time and Boosts Efficiency for Complex Survey Projects by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian J. McNabb At InterGeo this week, Switzerland-based drone manufacturer Wingtra recently announced their new MAP61 mapping payload, which they describe as “the most efficient mapping sensor on the market”. Able to capture up to 1,140 acres in a single… Read more: Wingtra Unveils MAP61: The Game-Changing Mapping Payload Redefining Survey Efficiency