Enthusiasts

This article published in collaboration with JUIDA, the Japan UAS Industrial Development Association.     JUIDA-coordinated teams flew indoor searches at Aeon Mall Kumamoto, mapped Yatsushiro and Mashiki by fixed-wing aircraft and drone, then combined SAR satellite data with AI to build a common operational picture for responders. The Japan UAV Industrial Development Association (JUIDA) published… Read more: Japan’s Drone Industry Runs 10-Day Kumamoto Earthquake Response Through JUIDA-D³

The Czech aircraft company opens ground testing on Technology Demonstrator 2.0 in Prague and targets flight testing in 2027 and commercial deliveries between 2027 and 2029. Prague-based Zuri unveiled its Zuri uncrewed cargo VTOL, a hybrid-electric tiltrotor for civil and defense operators, on August 27, 2026. The aircraft carries more than 100 kilograms (220 pounds)… Read more: Czech Zuri Introduces Uncrewed Cargo Tiltrotor for Civil and Defense Operations

Founding CTO takes over as Jackie Wu moves to the board for health reasons, and Corvus Robotics announces the broadest product expansion in its history. Corvus Robotics named co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Mohammed Kabir its chief executive officer on August 25, 2026. Kabir has run technology and product since he co-founded the Mountain View… Read more: Corvus Robotics Names Co-Founder CEO and Closes $20M Round

Firestorm produced more than 1,000 components for Squall UAVs and other critical equipment during a two-week voyage aboard the USS Essex. By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill With the goal of helping to ensure the U.S. military has rapid access to the tools needed to fulfill its mission, a San Diego-based manufacturer recently demonstrated its… Read more: A Drone Factory at Sea: Firestorm Labs Tests Onboard Manufacturing with U.S. Navy

Five unauthorized drone flights over Oregon’s Wrights Spring Fire grounded firefighting aircraft, highlighting a growing safety problem during wildfire operations. By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill As massive wildfires continue to ravage vast areas of the West and northwestern U.S., the problem of unauthorized drones flying in disaster areas continues to hamper aerial firefighting operations.… Read more: “If You Fly, We Can’t”: Drone Incursions Still Disrupt Wildfire Response Across the West

Maryland defense manufacturer targets large-scale U.S. production of two attritable drone platforms beginning in 2027 First Breach Inc. has completed the first flight of a proprietary drone prototype, marking a step in the company’s expansion from ammunition manufacturing into unmanned aircraft systems. The milestone comes days after First Breach began trading on the Nasdaq Capital… Read more: First Breach Completes First Drone Flight as Company Begins Nasdaq Trading

Vietnamese-founded gimbal specialist expands U.S. production with NDAA-compliant EO/IR payloads for government, public safety and enterprise drones Gremsy USA has introduced three NDAA-compliant, Blue UAS-cleared drone payloads for the U.S. market. The move comes as federal policy puts growing pressure on drone manufacturers to secure domestic and trusted supply chains. The new portfolio includes the… Read more: Gremsy USA Launches Blue UAS-Cleared Payload Line as Drone Supply Chains Shift

Series A funding will support Q12 manufacturing, customer deliveries, and development of the company’s DronePort system SiFly Aviation has raised $20 million in Series A funding to expand U.S. production of its long-endurance Q12 electric drone. Shield Capital led the financing round, with participation from Qudit, BBK Capital, Alumni Ventures, and other investors. SiFly plans… Read more: SiFly Raises $20 Million to Scale U.S. Production of Long-Endurance Drones

New service combines remote pilots with pilot management software to help public safety and security organizations extend drone coverage Flying Lion has launched a new Remote Staffing Service designed to help public safety and security organizations operate Drone as First Responder (DFR) programs around the clock. Announced at the National Real Time Crime Center Association… Read more: Flying Lion Launches Remote Staffing Service for 24/7 DFR Operations

Teledyne FLIR OEM joins DUTCH initiative focused on performance, SWaP-C, and high-volume domestic production Teledyne FLIR OEM has been selected to support a U.S. Army initiative aimed at advancing next-generation uncooled thermal imaging technology. The company will participate in the Delivering Unmatched Thermal Capability Hastened (DUTCH) initiative. The program is led by the Office of… Read more: U.S. Army Thermal Imaging Program Targets Next-Generation Drone Sensors

The Bengaluru aerospace startup, led by Greenoaks with DoorDash participation, targets a payload-to-aircraft ratio three times better than industry norms. Bengaluru-based Airbound closed a $37 million Series A round on August 25, 2026. The aerospace company also signed a commercial drone delivery agreement with the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Greenoaks led the round with… Read more: Airbound Raises $37 Million Series A and Plans 10,000 Daily Drone Flights Across Andhra Pradesh

The Japanese eVTOL developer identifies radioisotope transport, organ transport and airport parts logistics as priority use cases under the July 2026 feasibility study. SkyDrive Inc. advanced its joint India feasibility study to a route-evaluation phase on August 25, 2026. The work extends a July 31, 2026 Memorandum of Understanding among SkyDrive, Air India and Suzuki… Read more: SkyDrive to Evaluate eVTOL Medical Logistics Routes in Mumbai, Delhi With Air India and Suzuki

The U.S. subsidiary of the Quantum Systems Group opens a 3,200-square-foot engineering and R&D office in Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park corridor. Quantum-Systems Inc. opened a 3,200-square-foot engineering and research and development office in Huntsville, Alabama, on August 24, 2026. The site sits in Upland Park, adjacent to Cummings Research Park, the second-largest research park in… Read more: Quantum-Systems Opens Huntsville, Alabama Outpost

Proposed site would become the first announced downtown node in Archer’s planned Los Angeles air taxi network ahead of the LA28 Games Archer Aviation and sports and entertainment company AEG have announced plans to develop a vertiport at L.A. LIVE in downtown Los Angeles. The companies have entered an exclusive, multi-year partnership for the project.… Read more: Archer, AEG Plan Downtown Los Angeles Vertiport at L.A. LIVE

Ascento Guard Dori USA v1 joins a growing list of UAS exempted from the FCC Covered List through the federal Conditional Approval process. The Federal Communications Commission has updated its Covered List to exempt another uncrewed aircraft system following a Conditional Approval from the Department of War. In an August 21 Public Notice, the FCC… Read more: FCC Grants Conditional Approval for Ascento UAS

ABC finds nearly all drone-using respondents rely primarily on DJI, highlighting the challenge of shifting to alternative platforms by DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magil As the U.S. government puts the squeeze on foreign drone manufacturers, it is likely to significantly increase costs for the drone users in the construction industry, virtually all of whom fly… Read more: New Survey Shows Just How Dependent Construction Is on Chinese Drones

Université de Sherbrooke researchers demonstrate a new approach to landing multirotors on steep, irregular ice surfaces Cats may seem an unlikely source of inspiration for drone landing gear. But retractable claws helped researchers at Canada’s Université de Sherbrooke address a difficult problem: landing a drone on steep, slippery ice. The result is the Ice Dart,… Read more: Cat-Inspired Claws Help Ice Dart Drone Land on Steep Ice

Counter-drone technology joins Motorola Solutions’ public safety portfolio as demand for airspace protection grows Motorola Solutions has completed its $1.5 billion acquisition of counter-drone technology provider D-Fend Solutions. The deal brings D-Fend’s RF cyber-takeover technology into Motorola Solutions’ public safety and security portfolio. “Safety on the ground demands security in the air,” said Greg Brown,… Read more: Motorola Solutions Completes $1.5 Billion Acquisition of D-Fend Solutions

New Springfield facility will support long-endurance UAS training, testing and flight operations as Ondas expands its U.S. defense business Ondas Inc. has opened a new unmanned aircraft training, testing and flight operations facility at the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence (NAAMCE) in Springfield, Ohio. The facility will serve as the Midwest hub for… Read more: Ondas Opens UAS Training and Operations Hub at Ohio’s NAAMCE

Recent executive orders, FCC action and a White House industry meeting point to growing scrutiny of what goes into U.S.-made drones. The White House brought drone manufacturers, component suppliers and government officials together Thursday for its first Drone Dominance industry event. The meeting offered another sign that the administration’s push for U.S. drone production extends… Read more: The White House Wants Drone Dominance. How Much of the Supply Chain Must Be American?