Red Cat and Doodle Labs Triumph in Electronic Warfare Tests in Ukraine: collaboration demonstrates enhanced anti-jamming capabilities for drones amid ongoing military challenges. Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: RCAT), a prominent player in drone technology, has announced a successful outcome in electronic warfare testing in Ukraine alongside Doodle Labs. This initiative is part of their ongoing […]
New Models Offer Advanced Features for Efficient Crop Management with Upgraded SmartFarm App DJI, a global leader in civilian drones and creative camera technology, today launched the Agras T50 and T25 drones internationally, further expanding their popular Agras line. The T50 is tailored for large-scale farming efficiency, while the T25 offers portability for smaller operations. […]
Keynote Sets Tone for New Leadership AUVSI plans to launch “Robot Ready” Campaign in 2025. Michael Brasseur (USN Ret.), Chief Strategy Officer at Saab Inc., and Aaron Pierce, CEO of Pierce Aerospace, have been added to AUVSI’s board of directors. S. CENTCOM has stood up 3 autonomy-focused units: NAVCENT Fleet 59 (maritime); AFCENT Task Force […]
XPONENTIAL 2024, the massive drone conference for uncrewed systems and robotics, wraps up today in San Diego. This year’s conference, which is considered one of the biggest drone events in the world, ran from April 22 to 25, 2024 at the San Diego Convention Center. XPONENTIAL 2024 is put on by Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems (AUVSI), which is a massive lobbying group that advocates for the drone industry.
With the conference came the big XPO Hall with tons of vendors (and free swag), plus keynotes, breakout sessions and workshops. Many tech companies use conferences like XPONENTIAL 2024 as a place to launch their newest products — which was certainly the case this year. And AUVSI itself included some new offerings, including outdoor demonstrations, a segment focused on the military, and a new zone called “Cyber City” focused specifically on digital defense.
The week has left attendees buzzing with the latest advancements in the field. So with that, here are the top highlights that stole the AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2024 show:
The top things you missed at AUVSI’s XPONENTIAL 2024
Pacific Pivot offers outdoor demos of defense drones
New to this year’s XPONENTIAL 2024, AUVSI ran a series of outdoor demonstrations of defense-oriented drones in an area called ‘Pacific Pivot.’ Attendees saw intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) drones, they saw hydrogen fueled drones, and they saw anti-drone detection in action.And given the flights over the ocean, Pacific Pivot was able to showcase maritime domain awareness, too. Among the companies that put on demonstrations included:
Jaia Robotics: uses drones for aquatic data collection
MatrixSpace: builds an ultra-small radar system to provide integrated outdoor surveillance in 4D
The conference used its location in downtown San Diego to conduct demonstrations from Pepper Park to Point Loma and around San Clemente Island.
An increased focused on defense
Those live demonstrations were just the start of this conference’s emphasis on defense. In fact, AUVSI 2024 served as the site of the second installment of ‘AUVSI Defense.’ That event was a convergence of military leaders and industry executives, including high-ranking military officials. Military representatives included leaders from the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force, as well as federal agencies including DARPA, DCMA, DHS, DIU, FAA, NASA and the NSA.
AUVSI Defense came at a critical time as the drone industry grapples with various military projects and general Buy American questions. Many formerly consumer-oriented drone companies, including Skydio and Teal, have since pivoted to focus on the defense sector. And government efforts like the Replicator initiative have certainly made it interesting for American drone companies to do so.
The third installment of AUVSI Defense is set for Oct. 23 and 24 in McLean, Virginia.
Drone cybersecurity comes to forefront
AUVSI used its opening day keynote to announce some fairly significant news with the Department of Defense (DoD).
The organization announced that it was entering what’s called a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the DoD’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). With that MOU, the two are creating a process for drone component manufacturers that also hold a Green UAS certification to share their data with the DIU.
The goal? To make it easier to add certified components to the DIU’s Blue UAS Framework list. And by being on that list, cybersecurity products and their supply chains would become more streamlined, in turn making it more clear as to what drone parts truly are NDAA-verified.
Green UAS certification is a process somewhat similar to the compliance and cybersecurity verification procedures used to verify products on DIU’s Blue UAS list.
In the future, Green-certified components could be more easily added to the DIU’s Blue UAS Framework list.
“The intent behind this effort is to increase availability of NDAA verified UAS components to the uncrewed industry at large and streamline the process for Blue UAS consideration,” said Derek McBride, Deputy Director of DIU’s Autonomy Portfolio. “Providing better options for our warfighters and our national security is paramount.”
Though the drone industry has certainly found its foothold in the last few years, there’s still room for drone startups. Yes, that comes even at a time when drone industry funding is showing signs of drying up. Over at the XPO+ Launcher Startup pavilion, drone startups could showcase their ideas.
On Wednesday, April 24, startups pitched at the Innovation Theater on the exhibition floor. The day concluded with he first XPO+ Launcher Pitch Award followed by the XPO+ Launcher VC & Startup Reception. Much of the day was powered by GENIUS NY, a business accelerator program based in Syracuse, New York that hosts an annual startup competition. GENIUS NY also claims to be the world’s largest UAS accelerator.
Among the startups that conducted demonstrations included Aerotate, Angel Aerial Systes, Arrive, Duality Robotics, Field AI, Lift.Works, Linia, Pattent, Phoenix Flight Industries, Secure AI, Semai, Shearwater Aerospace, Upgrade Energy and WingXpand.
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General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is continuing its support of EagleEye multi-mode radar development with a company investment to add an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) antenna and associated software that will increase range and deliver significant mode enhancements. AESA will be a “drop-in” hardware upgrade to the existing EagleEye radar and could be […]
Fraport, the operator of Frankfurt airport, one of continental Europe’s busiest, says that air traffic had to be completely halted on two days in 2023 due to drone incursions around the airfield. In response to a parliamentary inquiry in the German state of Hesse, in which Frankfurt airport is located, Fraport says the incidents which […]
FAI has announced that 2024 will further develop this fast-paced, accessible sport with a new E-Drone Racing World Cup based on a series of 4 or 5 events, each with a different surprise circuit. E-Drone Racing: a brand new, accessible and fast-paced sport Just as real-life drone pilots compete on a track at top speeds, […]
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