Drone industry

Autonomous cargo drone maker Elroy Air is preparing for its next big chapter. The California-based company has announced plans to go public through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), giving it the funding needed to ramp up production of its heavy-lift Chaparral drone for both military and commercial customers.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has expanded the list of aircraft exempt from its sweeping foreign-drone import restrictions, marking another sign that federal regulators are willing to make targeted exceptions even as the broader crackdown remains in place.

Want to know where the drone industry is headed next? The people behind one of the sector’s most influential research efforts are asking drone professionals around the world to help answer that question.

As pressure mounts for secure, American-made drone technology, Mobix Labs is making a significant bet on the future of the industry. The California-based technology company announced it has signed a binding Letter of Intent to acquire Vision Aerial, a Montana drone manufacturer whose aircraft are already used by military, public safety, energy, and critical infrastructure organizations across the United States.

A startup aiming to change how drones operate in high-stakes situations just landed fresh funding, and it’s going after one of the biggest challenges in the industry: scaling drone operations without adding more human pilots.

A new drone company backed by the sons of US President Donald Trump is preparing to go public, just as Washington pours billions into building a domestic drone industry.

As drones become a bigger part of our lives, right from police operations to battlefield surveillance, they’re also becoming a goldmine of digital evidence. Now, one of the biggest names in digital forensics wants in on that data.

Here’s something DJI buyers don’t want to hear: your drone price might not have been negotiable. An Australian agricultural drone distributor has admitted it illegally tried to stop resellers from discounting DJI products, triggering action from the country’s competition regulator.

Anzu Robotics, a Texas-based drone manufacturer that launched its Raptor series as an alternative to DJI in 2024, has announced that the line is no longer available for purchase due to persistent component shortages that have stalled further production. In an official notice from CEO Randall Warnas, the company said it had pursued multiple supply solutions without success and will instead shift focus to a “next generation” product designed to meet new commercial and regulatory demands.

A Danish defense startup betting on raw kinetic force instead of electronic warfare has raised more money than planned — a signal of how fast the counter-drone arms race is heating up.

Drone delivery is no longer something you explain; it’s something you schedule. Zipline says it has now completed more than 2 million commercial deliveries, raised over $600 million in new funding, and reached a $7.6 billion valuation, as it prepares to expand its autonomous delivery service to Houston and Phoenix in early 2026, with more US metros to follow later in the year.

DJI, or Da-Jiang Innovations, is the biggest consumer drone maker on the planet. Founded in a college dorm room in 2006, the company today commands nearly 70% of the global drone market, offering its products in over 100 countries. While competitors continue to innovate and deliver alternatives, DJI’s incredible offerings have made it impossible for others to surpass its market leadership. Naturally, observers have long wondered how DJI maintains such unparalleled dominance in the industry. The tech giant is now breaking its silence to reveal just how.

DroneDeploy just hit a major milestone, and it could reshape the future of construction, inspection, and site management for drone pilots everywhere. The reality capture leader has officially reached break-even, meaning it’s now fully self-sustaining. Instead of chasing profitability, the company can plow every dollar it earns straight into product development, and its first move is big: a $15 million strategic raise dedicated entirely to advancing its AI and robotics offerings.

HoverAir’s latest innovation, the Aqua drone, has made a huge splash — literally and figuratively. The waterproof flying camera, designed for effortless water takeoff and landing, has now raised more than $1.4 million through crowdfunding, marking one of the most successful launches in the company’s history. With this milestone, HoverAir confirmed that Aqua will enter mass production in Q4 2025, with customer shipments scheduled for December 2025.

Swiss robotics company Voliro has raised an additional round of funding, bringing its Series A total to $23 million, to supercharge global expansion of its autonomous drones. The extension saw new backing from noa Ventures and a debt facility from UBS, joining original lead investor Cherry Ventures.

Heven — the go-to name in hydrogen-powered drones — has announced it’s acquiring Zepher Flight Labs (ZFL). The result? A powerhouse team of innovators ready to shape the future of unmanned flight.

Seattle-based drone company BRINC is flying high this week. The emergency response drone maker just raised a massive $75 million in new funding and announced a strategic partnership with Motorola Solutions — moves that promise to supercharge its mission to revolutionize 911 response across the US.

It looks like DJI is calling the US government’s bluff. With the threat of a looming ban, the Chinese drone giant is demanding a security audit — before time runs out.

Mach Industries and HevenDrones are teaming up to scale the production of hydrogen-powered drones in the United States. The partnership will use Mach’s manufacturing network, Forge, to build HevenDrones’ H100, H2D55, and Raider models at Mach’s facility in Huntington Beach, California.

Shield AI, a deep-tech company known for pushing the boundaries of AI-driven autonomy, has secured a whopping $240 million in a new funding round, bringing its valuation to $5.3 billion.

South Korea’s BEI has unveiled a new battery that promises to double drone flight times and perform exceptionally in extreme temperatures. The innovation not only propels the drone industry forward but also positions South Korea as a pivotal tech supplier for the United States amid rising concerns over Chinese technology.