In the past 12 months (ending April 2016), drone sales in the USA have grown 224 percent year-over-year to nearly $200 million, according to The NPD Group’s Retail Tracking Service. Over the past six months (ending April 2016), sales growth has accelerated to more than four times higher than the same time period last year*. The following brands are leading the industry in drone sales according to percent of U.S. dollar share: DJI, Parrot, Protocol, Yuneec and 3D Robotics (12 months ending April 2016). Continue reading
Category Archives: Business News
Dedrone Gets $10M Funding for Drone Detection Platform
Dedrone, developer of civilian drone detection system, announced that it has raised $10 million in Series A funding. The round was led by U.S.-investor Menlo Ventures, one of the world’s premier venture capital firms investing in consumer and enterprise technologies. Dedrone will use the fresh capital to accelerate the advancement and sophistication of its drone detection technology and to expand its sales and marketing teams. Continue reading
VStar Systems Inc. to Create Custom Unmanned Systems
Entrepreneur and U.S. Navy veteran Andy Von Stauffenberg, announced the launch of VStar Systems Inc. (VStar) after 12 years of experience in aerospace and systems engineering. A multi-dimensional systems integration company specializing in unmanned and robotic systems, VStar creates custom solutions for clients who have a unique set of problems that require advanced technologies and out of the box thinking. Continue reading
Airbus Seeks to Raise Its Profile in the Drone Industry
Airbus Group SE wants to become a major player in the fast-growing global drone industry, said its chief executive, Tom Enders, after years of missteps by the European plane maker that have left rivals with the upper hand. Continue reading
PrecisionHawk and Insitu Team on Aerial Imaging
PrecisionHawk, a provider of aerial data and safety platforms for drones, and Insitu, a subsidiary of Boeing, have announced a strategic alliance to offer expansive aerial technology services across commercial and enterprise markets. Continue reading
Microdrones Expands Operations into North America
The loosening of restrictions in the U.S. regarding use of unmanned aerial vehicles for commercial purposes has unlocked vast markets and opportunities throughout North America. To serve these new markets, German UAV manufacturer, Microdrones has merged with Avyon, the North American UAV solutions provider that brought the Microdrones brand to North America three years ago. Continue reading
Kratos Breaking into the UCAV Market
Kratos Defense is gaining ground in the unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) market traditionally dominated by the world’s largest defence firms and privately-held General Atomics Aeronautical Systems in the USA, having captured at least one significant classified contract and most recently winning a place on the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) “Gremlins” project.
US Government Orders DroneDefender System
Battelle has updated and booked US government orders for its DroneDefender system designed to stop unmanned aerial systems (UAS) that could threaten civilian or military aircraft.