Palladyne tech gives Draganfly drones smarter swarm control

Artificial intelligence firm Palladyne AI and long-time drone manufacturer Draganfly have announced plans to collaborate on developing advanced autonomous and swarming capabilities for Draganfly’s UAV platforms.

The partnership aims to integrate Palladyne’s Pilot AI software into Draganfly’s systems, enhancing how multiple drones operate together and interact in real time. The two companies say the collaboration will focus on supporting government, defense, and commercial applications that require high levels of reliability and situational awareness.

Palladyne Pilot is designed to allow several drones to function as a coordinated team, all managed by a single operator. Using sensor fusion from multiple sources, the software enables autonomous target tracking, classification, and self-organizing collaboration among drones — a capability that can reduce operator workload and improve mission efficiency.

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For Draganfly, the move builds on more than two decades of experience providing drones and aerial solutions for clients in public safety, defense, and industrial sectors. Its modular UAV systems are already used for a variety of field operations, from surveillance to inspections, and the integration of AI-based autonomy aims to expand those capabilities even further.

“Draganfly has earned its reputation as one of the most trusted names in UAV innovation,” says Ben Wolff, president and CEO of Palladyne AI. “We’re honored to collaborate with them to deliver advanced aerial intelligence solutions for complex operational environments.”

Draganfly CEO Cameron Chell adds that incorporating Palladyne Pilot into its drones brings advanced autonomy to platforms that were previously limited to large, expensive systems. “It allows us to scale swarm and mission-critical autonomy while reducing operator workload,” he says.

While the companies expect to deploy the technology globally, they noted that international integration will depend on obtaining the required government approvals.

The collaboration underscores a broader trend in the drone industry: pairing robust airframes with onboard AI to make drones smarter, more independent, and capable of operating effectively as a team.

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