Inspired Flight drones make the Blue sUAS 2.0 grade

California drone maker Inspired Flight says two of its UAV systems have been added to the Blue sUAS 2.0 list by the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), clearing the way for their procuration and use by US government and military agencies.

San Luis Obispo-based Inspired Flight said both its the medium-lift IF750 Quadcopter and heavy-lift IF1200 Hexacopter had been found to meet security criteria for use by the Department of Defense (DoD) and its agencies, and were added to the Blue sUAS 2.0 drones roster. The decision now brings the total number of US-made UAV platforms on the list to 13.

Veteran-owned Inspired Flight describes the F750 as a compact, quickly deployed, and easily transported quadcopter adaptable to an array of third-party sensors that provides simple and repeatable workflow for users.

The F1200 is designed as a particularly rugged heavy-lift, tightly built, low-vibration hexacopter taking on LiDAR, radiation detection monitors, and gimbaled electro-optical/infra-red sensors, and boasting additional capacities as a delivery craft.

Inclusion on the DIU’s list is considered a boon to drone manufacturers not only because of business opportunities created by potential DoD selection. It is also widely considered vouching for the data security of selected UAVs in an era when suspicions about leaks run high and have led to the blacklisting of certain companies.

Making the roster also streamlines the process for purchasing and operating drones on the DIU’s list by the DoD and affiliated agencies, dramatically reducing the documentation and approval procedures required for their clearance. 

Inspired Flight CEO Rick Stollmeyer cheered the entry of the company’s drones in the Blue sUAS team and calls their future use by DoD agencies a major business coup.

“This milestone will enable Inspired Flight to scale its DOD customer base and further establishes this company as a leader in the American UAS manufacturing industry,” Stollmeyer said. “As a veteran-owned small business, this means a lot to our company, our employees and for Americans in general. It’s a big win!”