– General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and General Atomics Integrated Intelligence, Inc. (GA-Intelligence) successfully completed a groundbreaking demonstration on July 8, integrating technologies across multiple affiliates to showcase long-range kill chain effects, including an autonomous air-to-air engagement. The flight integrated local and global sensor fusion to deliver real-time situational awareness and autonomous tasking to […]
A ground-based robotic electronic warfare system known as Kvertus AD Berserk has entered serial production in Ukraine, representing a significant advancement in the country’s technological response to aerial threats on the battlefield. The announcement was made on July 21 by Yaroslav Filimonov, CEO of the defense technology company Kvertus, through official channels. “This is not just a machine — it’s the result of hundreds of hours of development, testing, and refinement,” Filimonov stated in his […]
– Zepher Flight Labs (ZFL), a Heven company, announced that its hydrogen fuel cell-powered Z1 successfully demonstrated a vertical takeoff at maximum takeoff weight (MTOW), followed by a continuous 11,000-foot climb to a density altitude (DA) of 12,000 feet during the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) mission phase. Part of Heven’s next-generation portfolio, the Z1 is […]
U.S. Sen. John Hoeven announced a $100 million contract ceiling extension for Project ULTRA that will allow expansion of UAS operations at GrandSKY. The ULTRA team, led by Grand Forks County, includes the Northern Plains UAS Test Site, which supports the development of uncrewed flight capabilities for the Department of Defense. The public-private group, operating […]
During the last few weeks of June, dozens of aircraft gathered on the flight line at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska as part of Red Flag — a premier, multinational exercise the base hosts each year. The event offers a venue for the U.S. and its allies to demonstrate advanced, tactical air combat and […]
The Messerschmitt Me 210 was a German heavy fighter and ground-attack aircraft of World War II. Design started before the war, as a replacement for the Bf 110. The first examples were ready in 1939, but they proved to have unacceptably poor flight characteristics due to serious wing planform and fuselage design flaws. A large-scale […]
AI-powered flight planning enables reliable BVLOS operations in extreme weather and remote terrain Improving Access to Medical Supplies with Drone Technology AerialMetric, Madagascar’s top medical drone delivery operator, has announced a new partnership with Shearwater Aerospace. The goal is to expand access to life-saving medicines in remote communities across the country. The partnership focuses on […]
AIRmarket and OneSky partner on real-world testing to support safe BVLOS drone operations Canada Tests Real-World Drone Traffic Management in Alberta The iART Alliance has launched the Alberta RTM Trials – Operational Evaluation (iART-OE) in the Greater Edmonton Region. This marks Canada’s first major step in evaluating Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) Traffic Management (RTM) […]
The “Leading Innovation in Flight Technology (LIFT) Act,” introduced by Rep.Jen Kiggans (R-VA) on July 24, 2025, aims to accelerate U.S. rules for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations. The measure would compel the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to set clear performance standards, use artificial intelligence to speed […]
I’m often the one doing the interviews, but I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Desiree “Drone Diva Desi” Ekstein, where she interviewed me for the Women and Drones Coffee Connection series. Our 22-minute conversation covers both our individual drone journeys and the vibrant evolution of the UAS community.
Watch the latest episode of the Women and Drones Coffee Connection, featuring yours truly, below:
Meet Desiree Ekstein (“Drone Diva Desi”)
Longtime Drone Girl readers likely also know Desiree Ekstein, a trailblazing figure in the drone industry. She is one of the first women to earn the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and an AUVSI TOP‑Level 3 instructor and pilot. She wears many hats: FAASTeam DronePro Lead for San Diego, UAS Safety Advisor for Women and Drones, adjunct instructor at MiraCosta College, and host of the Coffee Connection series.
She has put her entrepreneurial spirit into founding On the Go Video.biz, led Girls Take Flight to inspire young women in STEM, built a fleet of more than two dozen drones and has done critical work like photographing historical sites via drone with 3D mapping.
A conversation with shared roots in storytelling, safety & STEM
In our chat, I recount my journey as one of the earliest journalists to integrate drones into storytelling, starting with documenting fire department operations.
I shared my experience reviewing drones (often getting previews of the earliest tech). We also relived great moments in drone history, like the reveal of the DJI Mavic Pro (finally, a small portable drone!) and the debut of obstacle avoidance tech in consumer drones (hello DJI Phantom 4!). I also share personal drone memories, like the moment when Romeo Durscher first showed me (in a super secret field in San Francisco) how the DJI Phantom 4 worked ahead of its debut.
From using drones for emergency response to filming action sports, we both reflected on how far drone tech has come — and how essential safety, training and inclusivity are in that evolution.
– General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and General Atomics Integrated Intelligence, Inc. (GA-Intelligence) successfully completed a groundbreaking demonstration on July 8, integrating technologies across multiple affiliates to showcase long-range kill chain effects, including an autonomous air-to-air engagement. The flight integrated local and global sensor fusion to deliver real-time situational awareness and autonomous tasking to […]
