an independent online news service for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems world
The German drone manufacturer Quantum Systems says it is working on developing a mothership drone called Sparta. As a company spokesperson told hartpunkt, the system, which is currently being developed in Ukraine, is expected to reach series production by the end of the year. Continue reading
In an aviation tech breakthrough that could change naval warfare, Chinese aerospace engineers have unveiled what could be the world’s first high-speed vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drone powered by a jet engine. Continue reading
The ‘Pavuk Dopkhina’ (Dophin Spider) drone, is cutting-edge technology developed by the 3rd Assault Brigade and Omnitech, with support from Brave1, according to a post on the official Telegram channel of Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation. Continue reading
German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall is poised to secure up to $9 billion in a massive contract from the German Armed Forces for its Skyranger 30 anti-aircraft gun system, with deliveries expected by 2035. Continue reading
Following a November 2022 Pentagon report on China’s military build-up that used the term “uncrewed aerial systems,” the “uncrewed” adjective has become an increasingly fashionable alternative to the previously dominant “unmanned” descriptor. Continue reading
The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) announced the first flight of an MQ-9A Reaper, assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (UX) 24, equipped with the SkyTower II and RDESS/SOAR pods. The Command defined this as a critical step toward Initial Operational Capability (IOC) later this year. Continue reading
– Piasecki Aircraft Corporation has announced the next evolution in autonomous VTOL logistics: KARGO II, a new larger-capacity version of the KARGO UAV medium-lift unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) acquired from Kaman Air Vehicles in April 2025. Continue reading
An MQ-9 Reaper drone plunged into the Mediterranean Sea last winter after its propeller suddenly detached, a recently released Air Force investigation concluded. Continue reading