Russia Develops Fiber-Optic Drone Launch Vehicle

Russian engineers have developed a new unmanned ground platform designed to deliver and launch drones using a fiber-optic control link, according to the Scientific and Technical Center (STC) ‘Kornei.’ The system, presented at the ‘Unmanned Systems: Technologies of the Future’ forum, is intended to expand operational flexibility in contested electronic warfare environments. The platform, known […]

Performance Drone Works Opens New Factory in Alabama

PDW (Performance Drone Works) has officially opened Drone Factory 01, its new 90,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in Huntsville, Alabama. The massive facility exponentially increases PDW’s production capacity and reinforces the company’s role as a leading provider of battlefield-ready unmanned aircraft systems. Located in close proximity to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Arsenal, PDW’s new facility […]

ePropelled Expands U.S. Manufacturing to Meet Rising Demand for Drone Components

New Hampshire facility set to produce NDAA-compliant propulsion systems as defense demand grows Global propulsion solutions provider ePropelled, Inc. announced a major expansion of its U.S. operations, positioning itself as the first American-based drone component manufacturer with a fully compliant Department of Defense supply chain. The move comes as legislative efforts to limit imports of […]

The post ePropelled Expands U.S. Manufacturing to Meet Rising Demand for Drone Components appeared first on DRONELIFE.

Skyways Completes Historic Cargo Drone Flights for U.S. Military

Project ULTRA Demonstration Validates Safe BVLOS Operations in Controlled Airspace Skyways has completed a series of historic cargo drone flights under the Department of Defense’s Project ULTRA, marking a major step forward in Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations. Over 12 days, the Texas-based company conducted medium-range flights between Grand Forks Air Force Base […]

The post Skyways Completes Historic Cargo Drone Flights for U.S. Military appeared first on DRONELIFE.

Canada’s ZenaTech Targets Multiple Acquisitions in Rapid Expansion Strategy

Canadian company ZenaTech seeks to grow with flight school purchase By DRONELIFE Features EditorJim Magill A fast-growing Canada-based AI drone and software company is planning to expand its Drone as a Service (DaaS) business by purchasing a flight school in Florida that offers instruction for both Part 107 pilots, as well as for those training […]

The post Canada’s ZenaTech Targets Multiple Acquisitions in Rapid Expansion Strategy appeared first on DRONELIFE.

Lockheed Martin Sikorsky Awarded US Army Contract for Black Hawk Modernization Efforts

Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company has announced a new U.S. Army contract that will fund Black Hawk modernization engineering efforts. The initial $43 million contract award will focus on foundational capabilities for modernization: enhancement of the airframe and inclusion of a digital backbone capability to allow for rapid unmanned aerial systems (UAS) integration. The award […]

Fiber Optic FPV Drones Featured in US Navy Electronic Warfare Exercise

A first-person view (FPV) type quadcopter drone controlled via a fiber optic cable was among the participants in a U.S. Navy-led exercise earlier this year focused on exploring new distributed electronic warfare capabilities. Fiber optic kamikaze FPVs, which Russia first began using in Ukraine last year and have now become a fixture on both sides […]

Airbus and Shield AI Accomplish First Autonomous Aerial Logistics Connector Helicopter Flight

– Airbus U.S. Space & Defense recently completed its first autonomous helicopter test flight utilizing Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy package. The test flight, which took place in Grand Prairie, Texas, marks a significant step in the development of the MQ-72C Lakota Connector, in support of the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) program. […]