Weapons Systems / Lasers
According to a statement made by a former intelligence agent, North Korea has initiated a military modernization program. This initiative, as reported by The Korea Times, is said to involve the repurposing of hundreds of antiquated fighter jets into kamikaze drones. Choe Su-Yong, a former operative of the National Intelligence
BVLOS
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. The authorization allows these operations below 400 feet altitude over certain roads and sparsely populated areas below pre-planned
Propulsion
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. “This is a prototype/demonstration project,” Air Force Secretary
Business
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
Business
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). Teal will deliver an
Research
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
Video
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. Capable of being armed with bombs or torpedoes, 2,
Research
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. The
Loitering Munitions - One Way Effector (OWE)
Ukraine's Defense Ministry will allow Ukrainian-made SkyKnight drones to be used for military operations, the Ministry said on on Aug. 19. If an operator has already mastered DJI, Autel, and stabilized platforms, they will master SkyKnight 2 in no time, in about a week," the message reads.
Military
Taiwan's Ministry of Defense has offered a rare look at one of its Chien Hsiang loitering munitions swooping down on a target during a test. Authorities on the island rightfully state that the value of uncrewed aerial systems, especially ones that can offer asymmetric capabilities, has been underscored
Business
AeroVironment has announced its anticipated acquisition of Tomahawk Robotics, a leader in AI-enabled robotic control systems. The acquisition will enable deeper integration of both companies’ technology, leading to enhanced interoperability and interconnectivity of unmanned systems through a singular platform with similar control features. This will ultimately enable warfighters to operate
Scientific Systems Company, Inc. (SSCI) successfully demonstrated its Collaborative Sanitization Behaviour aboard a General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) -owned MQ-20 Avenger Unmanned Aircraft System on July 13, 2023. This autonomous behaviour, developed by Scientific Systems, empowers teams of UAVs to coordinate, share information, and execute autonomously to ensure sensor