an independent online news service for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems world
The Northern Plains UAS Test Site will support AURA Network Systems’ recently announced contract with the Federal Aviation Administration. AURA, a supplier of secure and reliable communications solutions for the aviation industry, received a FAA Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) contract to demonstrate and validate technologies in support of the safe integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems into the National Airspace System (NAS). Continue reading
– AALTO HAPS Ltd., an Airbus subsidiary which designs, manufactures and operates the Zephyr High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS), has completed its first successful stratospheric flight and testing from its purpose-built HAPS facility (AALTOPORT) in Laikipia County, Kenya. Continue reading
– Windlift, a Durham, N.C.-based startup, is developing autonomous tethered drones that generate electricity by letting the air turn the rotors on its turbine propellers as it swoops through a loopy sideways figure eight pattern, potentially reducing material requirements by 90% compared to traditional wind turbines. Continue reading
OPTIMAS, a European project led by “monodon by Navantia”, has begun with the aim of developing an advanced free-space optical communication system for multi-domain defence applications in collaboration with Schiebel. Continue reading
– Unusual Machines has announced the signing of a binding agreement to acquire of Aloft Technologies, Inc., an FAA-approved provider of unmanned aerial system (UAS) services to enterprise, public safety, and government customers. The acquisition is almost all in stock, valued at $14.5M. Continue reading
Ukraine’s latest unmanned aerial vehicle can fly 1,200 miles, drop a 550-pound (250 Kg) bomb and return to base, making it potentially the most powerful reusable drone in the Russia-Ukraine war. Continue reading
– DroneDeploy has announced nationwide U.S. Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) approval for critical infrastructure, establishing it as the leading reality capture and robotics platform for critical infrastructure, including data center construction management. Continue reading
To significantly enhance its ground forces’ air defense capabilities, the French Armed Forces Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) announced the acquisition of 24 Serval LAD (Anti-Drone) armoured vehicles on January 28, 2025. This new order is part of France’s expanding investment in counter-drone technologies, driven by lessons learned from recent conflicts, especially the ongoing war in Ukraine, where drones have played a pivotal role in shaping battlefield strategies. Continue reading