General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) confirms that its Mojave Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) destroyed static targets in live-fire tests on April 13, 2024, validating the system’s battlefield relevance and recording another milestone for the demonstrator aircraft. GA-ASI partnered with Dillon Aero to mount two of Dillon’s DAP-6 Gun Pod Systems onto the Mojave aircraft. […]
In a major development for the BMT SPARO project, the British Army’s Futures Directorate has provided funding to build, supply and demonstrate the latest prototype for UK medics who took part in Project CONVERGENCE, the premier US Army experimentation exercise in March. BMT SPARO is a small, suspended air-ground payload transfer device demonstrating a globally […]
Draganfly Inc., an award-winning, industry-leading drone solutions and systems developer, has announced a collaboration with communication experts Doodle Labs, and control systems specialists UXV Technologies. This collaborative effort is set to redefine operational capabilities for law enforcement, first responders, and military specialists. The collaboration combines Draganfly’s Commander 3XL UAV, Doodle Labs’ Helix Mesh Rider Radio, […]
Viasat, Inc., a global satellite communications company, has announced collaboration with uAvionix, a pioneer in the development of certified avionics for crewed and uncrewed aviation. uAvionix will join Viasat’s Velaris Partner Network. Following a strategic alliance agreement between the companies to develop products and services for the uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) market, uAvionix has begun […]
Co-founders of Modovolo Erik and Justin were on a mission to build a drone with amazing flight time for any payload but at a much lower price than anything on the market. The result is a drone unlike anything else.
European unmanned systems manufacturer, TEKEVER, presents a new drone capable of deploying a swarm of smaller drones, set to enhance surveillance and rescue missions. At the Xponential 2024 expo, TEKEVER, a European provider of unmanned aerial systems, introduced the ARX, a new drone that features the ability to deploy and coordinate a swarm of smaller […]
South Korean Firm to Showcase Cutting-Edge Counter-UAS and AI-Driven Solutions in San Dieg After demonstrating their AI-driven technology at Drone Show Korea, South Korea-based autonomous drone solutions provider Nearthlab is gearing up to display its latest counter-UAS technology at this year’s AUVSI Xponential, held this week at the San Diego Convention Center. The centerpiece of […]
The company becomes the only counter-drone firm recognized under the SAFETY Act for its advanced security technology. Dedrone, a prominent player in smart airspace security, has been granted the SAFETY Act Designation by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of SAFETY Act Implementation (OSAI). This recognition marks Dedrone as the first counter-drone company to receive […]
The memorandum aims to integrate certified drone components into the Blue UAS Framework list. The Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) announced a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the XPONENTIAL 2024 conference. The agreement sets a framework for drone component manufacturers holding Green UAS certification to share […]
In the slew of government programs designed to award technology companies with approvals on products that help supports the U.S. government’s efforts to fight terrorism comes another wild acronym. It’s called the Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act, dubbed ‘SAFETY’ for short. The goal of the SAFETY Act? To incentivize private companies to develop and deploy anti-terrorism technologies.
The SAFETY Act, which is conducted through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been around since 2002. Yet, it only just now has added a drone-related to company to its list. That award goes to Dedrone, which is a counterdrone company that bills itself as the world’s leader in smart airspace security. And in fact, the DHS’s granting of Designation Status to Dedrone makes Dedrone currently the first and only counter-drone company currently acknowledged under the SAFETY Act.
On Tuesday, Dedrone announced it had received Designation status from the DHS Office of SAFETY Act Implementation. That mouthful of a phrase has its own acronym of OSAI. OSAI granted Designation status to a few Dedrone products, including Dedrone’s command-and-control (C2) platform, called DedroneTracker.AI, and its DedroneSensor radio frequency (RF) sensors.
Dedrone builds a range of products now used in 32 different countries and five of the G-7 nation governments. Dedrone’s tech relies on artificial intelligence and machine learning to continuously ‘interrogate’ and ‘verify’ drones. With it, Dedrone tech ensures only drones allowed to be in the airspace are the ones flying there. As a Dedrone customer, you’ll be able to easily detect, track, identify, analyze and mitigate those rogue drones.
In total, you’ll find Dedrone at more than 800 sites, including more than 100 combined airports and stadiums.
How to earn SAFETY Act designation
To earn Designation status from the DHS OSAI, companies must demonstrate the effectiveness of their technology. Companies can demonstrate that either through rigorous operational testing or examples of prior use. Upon earning Designation, products that have such status receive a liability cap as well as exclusive action in Federal court, no joint and several liability for non-economic damages, and no punitive damages or prejudgment interest.
Dedrone is able to maintain that Desgination status through April 30, 2029. That means Dedrone technology deployed from now until April 30, 2029 is protected for the lifetime of its deployment.
And having such a designation is pretty rare. Another drone company called Drone Go Home received a similar, albeit far-lesser DHS Designation in August 2019. Drone Go Home builds a passive radio frequency-based sensor and alert system, designed to detect and locate drones. But their product only received what’s called Developmental Testing & Evaluation designation. That status comes with the expectation that the company will pass the testing and development stage (upon which they’d reach full Desgination status). Alas, Drone Go Home did not do that, and their DTE designation expired on March 30, 2023.
Why Dedrone’s Designation status matters for drones
Image courtesy of Dedrone
The DHS award of Designation status certainly gives Dedrone a leg up in the drone industry against its competitors in the anti-drone space.
This designation provides significant benefits to companies like Dedrone that have received such status, including:
Limited liability in case of a terrorist incident where their technology is used.
Reimbursement for certain costs associated with defending lawsuits.
Government endorsement, which can boost marketability.
But it also suggests that the drone industry is worth paying more attention to. Today’s news is a clear indication that the DHS sees airspace security from potentially harmful drones as a critical part of its anti-terrorism security apparatus.
To date, the DHS has approved more than 1,000 anti-terrorism technologies for coverage under the SAFETY Act. To date, though, only one fits the counter-drone landscape.
But that doesn’t mean more drone companies couldn’t qualify in the future. The Dedrone announcement suggests there is room for more technologies to earn SAFETY Act approval. That could include:
Drone detection systems that identify and track unauthorized drones.
Counter-drone technologies that can disable or take control of malicious drones.
Security drones equipped with surveillance or inspection capabilities for critical infrastructure.
For drone manufacturers and developers interested in learning more about the SAFETY Act and QATT designation, visit the official DHS SAFETY Act website.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) confirms that its Mojave Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) destroyed static targets in live-fire tests on April 13, 2024, validating the system’s battlefield relevance and recording another milestone for the demonstrator aircraft. GA-ASI partnered with Dillon Aero to mount two of Dillon’s DAP-6 Gun Pod Systems onto the Mojave aircraft. […]
