– Skydweller and Thales are strengthening their collaboration by equipping Skydweller’s unmanned solar powered aircraft (MAPS) with a new solution consisting of the AirMaster S radar, equipped with Artificial Intelligence features allowing optimal and autonomous adaptation to the specific flight conditions. This innovative solution combines a solar-powered extreme endurance aerial platform with next-generation surveillance intelligence, […]
– Helsing, a leading European defence technology company, announced its €600 million ($690M) Series D funding round. The round was led by Prima Materia, alongside existing investors Lightspeed Ventures, Accel, Plural, General Catalyst and SAAB and new investors BDT & MSD Partners. “As Europe rapidly strengthens its defence capabilities in response to evolving geopolitical challenges, […]
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is preparing to demonstrate the vertical takeoff and landing capability of five unmanned aerial systems weighing less than 330 pounds in the coming days. The vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft for the demonstration, known as EVADE – Early VTOL Aircraft Demonstration – will boast significantly enhanced range, endurance and control […]
– Teledyne FLIR Defense, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY), announced that its Black Hornet 4 Personal Reconnaissance System has successfully completed the required NDAA and cyber security verification process and been approved for the Blue UAS List with an Authority to Operate. Led by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), Blue UAS vets and verifies […]
– Percepto, a leading supplier of autonomous inspection and monitoring solutions for critical infrastructure, has announced the release of its AI-powered emission detector—enabling remote methane detection and compliance reporting at scale. Already deployed across major U.S. basins, Percepto automates OGI surveying with autonomous drones, leveraging remote operations and now–AI built for upstream oil & gas […]
SKA Robotics supplies custom-made systems for industry By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill As drone manufacturers and other high-tech industries scale up their manufacturing capabilities, they tend to look for tried-and-true technological equipment and processes to enable them to mass produce their products. However, sometimes they encounter a unique logistical or technological challenge that requires […]
₹137 Crore Deal Will Deliver Indigenous Hybrid Mini UAVs for Critical ISR Missions As geopolitical tensions continue to highlight the importance of secure and self-reliant defense technologies, India’s military is strengthening its drone capabilities with domestic solutions.In a move reflecting increasing concern over foreign-made systems and supply chain vulnerabilities, India has awarded an Indian Army […]
As the drone industry braces for possible restrictions on Chinese-manufactured technology, operators are being forced to rethink their tech stack. In this DRONELIFE exclusive guest post, Kristaps Brass of European flight planning software company UgCS argues that software independence — not just hardware — is the critical factor for long-term operational success. DRONELIFE neither accepts […]
In a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions, Israel has deployed a sophisticated network of small drones, including First-Person View (FPV) systems, deep within Iranian territory. This unprecedented operation bears striking similarities to Ukraine’s innovative drone tactics against Russia, suggesting a new chapter in modern warfare where small, agile unmanned systems can penetrate even the […]
The U.S. government is doubling down on delivery drones — and it’s doing so with big money and even bigger aircraft. Texas-based drone manufacturer Skyways just landed a $37 million contract from the U.S. Air Force’s AFWERX program to transition its prototype V3 cargo drone into mass production.
Now we’re not talking those cute delivery drones from Walmart that bring Pedialyte to your backyard on a Sunday morning. These are serious delivery drones. Skyways’ V3 is a massive, hybrid-powered aircraft capable of carrying 100 pounds of cargo, flying more than 1,000 miles and staying aloft for over 20 hours.
If this cargo drone from Skyways is an SUV, then most of the delivery drones we talk about here are golf carts. But relative to Air Force technology, this is actually a transition to more affordable, uncrewed systems that can deliver supplies with fewer risks and lower operational costs.
Skyways’ V3: a long-range, heavy-lift, fully autonomous drone
(Photo courtesy of Skyways)
Skyways’ V3 is built for both military and commercial use, offering autonomous vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and a double-hybrid propulsion system (fuel plus electric). This allows it to operate like a helicopter during takeoff, then cruise like a fixed-wing airplane. That’s something we commonly see for use cases in either busy cities with no space for runways, or remote or rugged terrain where building one isn’t practical.
The V3 builds on the company’s earlier V2 aircraft, which is already flying cargo missions. The V2 can carry 30 pounds up to 500 miles, but the V3 triples that payload and doubles the range. Crucially, both platforms reuse Skyways’ flight-proven autonomy stack, which the company says accelerates its path from demo to deployment.
“Skyways is landing contracts well above its weight class—and that’s no accident,” said Charles Acknin, Skyways’ co-founder and CEO in a prepared statement. “We self-fund building and flying full-scale aircraft early during development so prospective customers can see real capability, not a slide deck.”
Military interest in autonomous cargo drones is growing fast
(Photo courtesy of Skyways)
AFWERX is part of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). This subgroup of the Air Force is designed to source innovative new tech from startups and small businesses for national defense. Its endorsement of Skyways — backed by millions in funding — underscores a growing government appetite for scalable, low-cost autonomous systems to support logistics in both peacetime and combat scenarios.
Since 2019, AFWERX has awarded more than 10,000 contracts totaling over $7 billion. This particular award is notable because it positions Skyways’ drone as a potential Program of Record — the formal designation for long-term, large-scale Department of Defense procurement.
That means we may see thousands of Skyways aircraft deployed in the coming years — not just for the Air Force, but also across the broader defense ecosystem, and potentially in civilian disaster relief, medical delivery or off-grid supply chain support.
– Skydweller and Thales are strengthening their collaboration by equipping Skydweller’s unmanned solar powered aircraft (MAPS) with a new solution consisting of the AirMaster S radar, equipped with Artificial Intelligence features allowing optimal and autonomous adaptation to the specific flight conditions. This innovative solution combines a solar-powered extreme endurance aerial platform with next-generation surveillance intelligence, […]
