The FAA authorized Phoenix Air Unmanned to operate SwissDrones SVO 50 V2 drones beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) for aerial work, aerial photography, survey and powerline and pipeline patrol and inspection.
US Air Force Picks Startup to Build Blended-Wing Body Prototype for Flight Testing by 2027
The US Air Force has picked aerospace startup JetZero to build a prototype Blended-Wing Body (BWB) aircraft for testing and demonstrating new technologies, the service announced. The aircraft is to be assembled by 2026 and flight testing will begin in 2027. Continue reading
Darkhive Inc. Gets $1M Contract from the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense
Darkhive Inc., a San Antonio-based autonomous uncrewed systems developer specializing in defense and public safety solutions, announced the award of a $1M contract with the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD R&E) to enhance the capabilities of its small autonomous drones in support of Department of Defense strategic initiatives. Continue reading
Red Cat Gets Second $2.6M Contract to Supply Teal 2 Drone to US Air Force Security Forces
Red Cat Holdings, Inc. a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government and commercial operations, announced that subsidiary Teal Drones has received a second $2.6 million purchase order to supply Teal 2 systems to the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). Continue reading
Drones Can Lock Together in Mid-Air to Form a Bigger, Stronger Robot
A drone’s size affects what it can—or can’t—do. If a drone is too small, it may be limited in the types of tasks it can complete, or the amount of heavy lifting it can do. But if a drone is too big, it may be difficult to get it up in the air or have it navigate around tricky structures, but it may make up for that in other ways. Continue reading
America’s Secret WW2 Combat Drone that Bombed the Japanese | The TDR-1
The Interstate TDR was an early unmanned combat aerial vehicle — referred to at the time as an “assault drone” — developed by the Interstate Aircraft and Engineering Corporation during the Second World War for use by the United States Navy. Continue reading
Wireless Energy-Delivering Crystals Could Unleash Drones’ Capabilities
Crystals with the capacity to transform light directly into mechanical energy without using electricity as an interim stage could unleash a host of advances. For example, drones that run on laser beams could cut back on batteries, or do without them entirely, with the weight savings enabling extra capabilities. Continue reading
Ukrainian SkyKnight Drones Approved for Army Use
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry will allow Ukrainian-made SkyKnight drones to be used for military operations, the Ministry said on on Aug. 19. Continue reading