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Red Cat reveals second USAF order for Teal 2 surveillance drones

Less than 24 hours after Red Cat Holdings announced its reception of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification under looming remote identification regulations, the security, defense, and military UAV specialist revealed the second multimillion-dollar order this month for its Teal 2 drones from the US Department of Defense’s official procurement agency.

Red Cat said the second transaction with the US Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) covers 172 units of its tactical reconnaissance and surveillance Teal 2 drones, worth $2.6 million. That follows on the government procurement unit’s order of an equal volume of the craft earlier in August, representing an accumulated value of $5.2 million.

According to a Red Cat communiqué, purchases of Teal 2 drones under both transactions will involve ultimate delivery to the US Air Force, which plans to use the craft for security monitoring and defense of its bases. 

Read more: Red Cat inks Teal 2 drone deal for US Air Force base protection service

Teal 2 drones build on the company’s previously created Golden Eagle reconnaissance and surveillance craft through the addition of cutting-edge sensors and other tech enhancing nighttime deployment. Red Cat describes UAVs as the world’s “first to be equipped with Teledyne FLIR’s new Hadron 640R sensor” – providing what it calls the highest-resolution thermal imaging in a small form factor.

Jeff Thompson, Red Cat’s CEO, says Teal 2’s trademark promise to “Dominate the Night” will allow government agency users to secure sensitive installations, and when necessary gather intelligence on hostile positions in conflict scenarios.

The Air Force needs to secure its airfields and bases 24/7, and the Teal 2 offers the highest-resolution night vision in its class,” said Thompson. “We’re honored that the Air Force has now doubled its order, to more than $5 million.”

Both Golden Eagle and Teal 2 drones have qualified for the Defense Department’s Blue sUAS list of craft cleared for use by government agencies. 

ReadRed Cat Teal 2 drone tech achieve FAA remote ID approval – and then some

Earlier this week Red Cat said the latter UAVs had received FAA remote ID certification by surpassing the agency’s required identification and location data requirements for broadcasting drone information to other airspace stakeholders.

The new US government contract additionally reinforces the thinking behind Red Cat’s pivot last year away from consumer drone activities it was involved with to focus exclusively on security and military sector clients.

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Avatar for Bruce Crumley Bruce Crumley

Bruce Crumley is journalist and writer who has worked for Fortune, Sports Illustrated, the New York Times, The Guardian, AFP, and was Paris correspondent and bureau chief for Time magazine specializing in political and terrorism reporting. He splits his time between Paris and Biarritz, and is the author of novel Maika‘i Stink Eye.

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