Department of Defense (DoD)

Manufacturer of high capability security and defense UAVs, Performance Drone Works (PDW) has announced its C100 heavy-lift C100 quadcopter has been named to the Blue sUAS list of drones approved for US government operation.

Drone companies with working ties to the US Department of Defense should find out by mid-December if their craft are among those selected for the first developmental tranche of the Pentagon’s Replicator program, which looks to match the enormous weapons systems of countries like China and Russia with the power-in-numbers might of swarms of smaller UAVs.

Producers of specialized drones or craft with effective tech adaptable to defense purposes may be in for a boost in activity under the Pentagon’s new “Replicator” initiative, which seeks to supplement the traditionally huge, multi-year US defense programs by creating an array of fast, responsive “attritable autonomous systems” – with an anticipated emphasis on quickly manufactured UAVs.

Defense and security UAV and robotics group Red Cat Holdings has announced its new contract to supply a US government agency with over 150 of its Teal 2 drones, which will be used for the monitoring and protection of US Air Force bases.

If the war in Ukraine has taught the world anything, it’s that UAVs have proven their utility in waging war today, and demonstrated their promise for larger deployment in future conflicts. And that evolution doubtless explains why the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is now endeavoring to create super swarms of drones capable of overwhelming enemy defense systems, and attacking targets they identify once past those.

Defense and security drone specialist Flightwave Aerospace has announced its Edge 130 Blue series of UAVs and related tech have been added to the Blue UAS 2.0 list by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), joining a select group of craft approved for use by US military and governmental agencies.

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.

The Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has updated its list of drones and companies on its Blue UAS Cleared List that meet security criteria for use by the Department of Defense (DoD) and its agencies.

Joby, a leading developer of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, has expanded its partnership with the Department of Defense (DoD) in exploring potential applications of next-generation vehicles across all corps of the US military.

Colorado-based anti-drone tech specialist Liteye has won a $12.1 million contract from the US Department of Defense (DoD) to provide an array of platforms enabling multi-domain air and ground security missions both domestically and abroad.

Freefly Systems’ all-electric Alta X drone has become the second drone to be approved under the Blue sUAS 2.0 program.

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), which operates under the Department of Defense (DoD) to scale commercial drone technology across the US military, has unveiled the first drone to be fully authorized and approved under the Blue sUAS 2.0 program.

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has successfully tested its unmanned boat, the Ghost Fleet Overlord, in a recent test that saw it travel more than 5,400 miles, with minimal human contact. The test is a massive milestone for the drone boat and the Ghost Fleet Overlord program.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have taken up mobile counter-drone technology orders. The two government departments have turned to North American counter-drone company ELTA to address the U.S.’s need to be able to put up a fight against aerial attacks such as drone swarms.

The Fifth Generation Aerial Target or 5GAT drone will take off for the first time later this month during a test flight at the Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. The drone will take to the sky after it completed ground-based tests back in September.

Drone security company DroneShield (ASX:DRO) has announced to shareholders that it has secured funding from the US Department of Defense (DoD) from a single undisclosed origin.

Citadel Defense has just released its latest AI-powered software and networking solution capable of autonomously protecting against 98% of commercial off-the-shelf drones. It connects multiple Titan systems together allowing a military base to be protected 24/7, 365 days a year.

The Department of Defense (DoD) has given out $13.4 million to five US drone startups in the hope of further developing current and new technologies. The companies to receive the money include AirMap, Graffiti Enterprises, ModalAI, Obsidian Sensors, and Skydio.

As a part of the final steps of the United States Army‘s Short Range Reconnaissance drone program, Parrot will be required to take part in an operational assessment of its prototype drone. The drone, if given the go-ahead, will be produced with manufacturing partner NEOTech.

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The Pentagon wants a counter-drone SWAT team to be put together asap by Defense Digital Service (DDS) to detect, hack, and jam enemy drones – with wide potential applications for Joint All-Domain Command & Control.

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French drone maker, Parrot has been selected by the Department of Defense as one of six companies to help develop a short-range reconnaissance drone for the US Army. The development of small commercial drones for the battlefield is t result of a partnership between the U.S. Army Program Executive Officer (PEO) for Aviation’s Project Manager, Unmanned Aircraft Systems, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the Army’s Maneuver Center of Excellence. DJI is not among the other selected companies. The ongoing US-China trade war, which caused price increases for DJI products, and fears of Chinese companies such as Huawei and DJI potentially spying on behalf of the Chinese government have suddenly created new opportunities for American and Western European companies, such as Parrot.

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