News
* 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. Featuring substantial payload, drivetrain, and performance upgrades, KARGO II complements KARGO UAV to meet the
Business
– Sébastien Lecornu, the French Minister for the Armed Forces has signed a framework agreement with Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters and Marie-Laure Bourgeois, Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing of Naval Group for the future acquisition of the Systèmes de Drone Aérien pour la Marine (SDAM: unmanned aerial systems
Business
– Alpha Unmanned Systems, a Spanish company developing unmanned helicopters, has signed a collaboration agreement with Airbus Helicopters España. This strategic alliance follows the successful joint participation of both companies in Spanish military exercises and marks a significant step toward integrating Crewed-Uncrewed Teaming capabilities, or collaboration between manned and unmanned helicopters.
VTOL
US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) intends to recompete the Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary Logistics (MARV-EL) programme, meant to result in a vertical take-off unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that could move up to 600 lb (272.1 kg) of cargo as far as 25 n miles (46 km). A
Business
The U.S. Army selected Near Earth Autonomy to lead a new $15 Million program to develop and field an optionally piloted contested logistics solution by retrofitting UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters with advanced autonomy kits. This Army Program Executive Office, Aviation (PEO Aviation) funded effort is a collaboration between Near
Business
* AeroVironment has announced it has been awarded a $46.6M contract by the Italian Ministry of Defence for the delivery of its JUMP 20 vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) medium uncrewed aircraft system (MUAS). The five-year contract encompasses the procurement of JUMP 20 air vehicles, engineering services, initial sustainment and
Transport
* Near Earth Autonomy Inc., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was awarded an $11,499,839 firm-fixed-price contract to design, develop and conduct a demonstration of heavy vertical takeoff and landing systems. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated
News
At the Special Operations Forces Innovation Network Seminar (SOFINS) in Bordeaux (France), Survey Copter, an Airbus Defence and Space subsidiary pioneering the light tactical drone systems, presents a new version of its Aliaca drone in VTOL (Vertical Take-off and Landing) configuration. Several demonstration flights have already been successfully carried out
VTOL
On March 31st. Mayman Aerospace announced the successful completion of test flights for the RAZOR P100, which will be the first commercial aircraft in the company's family of autonomous UAS. The achievement marks a major milestone not only for RAZOR but for the company's strategic vision
VTOL
* Ascent AeroSystems has introduced HELIUS, the company’s first entry into the sub-250g UAV sector. Debuted at VERTICON (formerly HAI Heli-Expo), in Dallas, Texas, HELIUS is designed to be an affordable AI-enabled, American-Made, NDAA-compliant option for law enforcement, emergency response, government, and industrial enterprise operators looking to upgrade or replace
VTOL
* Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, has successfully validated the advanced control laws to successfully fly a ‘rotor blown wing’ uncrewed aerial system (UAS) in both helicopter and airplane modes. Powered by batteries, the 115 pounds (52kg) twin prop-rotor prototype has demonstrated operational stability and maneuverability across all flight regimes, and
Law Enforcement
The National Police Air Service (NPAS) has selected global manufacturer Schiebel to support its most ambitious trial so far of ‘Beyond the Visual Line of Sight’ (BVLOS) uncrewed aircraft operations. The trial – which, in 2024, successfully achieved a place in the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) BVLOS integration sandbox -