Dual Use

New partnership aims to support commercialization and deployment of battle-tested Ukrainian technologies for allied defense applications Canadian drone and aerospace company Volatus Aerospace has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with UCan Brave Tech Centre, a Canada-Ukraine defense innovation organization, to support the development and commercialization of defense and dual-use technologies. The agreement, announced May… Read more: Battle-Tested Innovation Meets Manufacturing Scale in New Canada-Ukraine Defense Partnership

Montana-based drone company says designation validates long-term commitment to secure U.S. manufacturing Skyfish  has achieved both Blue UAS Cleared status and Green UAS certification, marking a significant milestone for the U.S.-based drone manufacturer as demand grows for secure and domestically sourced drone systems in government and critical infrastructure operations. The announcement was made May 28… Read more: Skyfish Achieves Blue UAS Cleared Status and Green UAS Certification

SYOS Introduces SU10 Underwater Drone for Multi-Domain Operations New uncrewed underwater vehicle expands company portfolio from air, land, and sea to subsurface missions UK and New Zealand-based autonomous systems company SYOS has introduced the SU10 uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV), expanding its multi-domain autonomous systems portfolio into subsurface operations. The company announced the new platform at… Read more: Under the Ice: New SYOS Underwater Drone Targets Maritime Security and Antarctic Exploration

At XPONENTIAL 2026 this week, leaders from University of Michigan outlined an ambitious vision for the future of drones and advanced air mobility (AAM): one where Michigan becomes a central hub for the emerging low altitude economy by combining aerospace innovation with Detroit’s industrial manufacturing strength. DRONELIFE had the opportunity for a meaningful discussion with… Read more: Michigan’s Bet on the Low Altitude Economy: How M Air Connects Aerospace Innovation and Detroit Manufacturing

At this morning’s keynote roundtable at XPONENTIAL 2026, government and industry leaders outlined a new phase in the effort to scale the U.S. drone industry: moving from innovation and prototype development to industrial production, supply chain scrutiny, and rapid military acquisition. Moderated by Michael Robbins of AUVSI, the panel focused on the Department of Defense’s… Read more: Drone Dominance: The Defense Department’s Push to Build a Scalable U.S. Drone Supply Chain

Jaunt Air Mobility’s autonomous slowed-rotor platform targets defense ISR, cargo logistics, and remote operations in two mission variants. AIRO Group Holdings has publicly unveiled its full-scale autonomous VTOL aircraft at AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2026 in Detroit. The Nasdaq-listed aerospace and defense company announced the reveal on May 12, 2026. The aircraft comes from AIRO’s Jaunt Air… Read more: From The Floor of XPONENTIAL: AIRO and Jaunt Reveal Dual-Use VTOL Aircraft for Defense and Cargo Missions

AUVSI’s XPONENTIAL 2026 Message: The Drone Industry Moves From Innovation to Integration At XPONENTIAL 2026 in Detroit this week, President Michael Robbins delivered a keynote that reflected a broader shift taking place across the drone and autonomy industry. Rather than focusing primarily on emerging technology and experimentation, Robbins emphasized manufacturing, operational deployment, supply chain resilience,… Read more: At XPONENTIAL 2026, AUVSI Signals a New Phase for the Drone Industry

North Dakota facility will manufacture NDAA-compliant battery cells for drones and defense systems Packet Digital and its subsidiary Badland Batteries announced that the company has received $9.8 million as part of Phase 3 of a U.S. Navy contract focused on advanced batteries for logistics drones and unmanned systems. The funding comes through the Navy’s Logistics… Read more: U.S. Navy Awards Packet Digital $9.8 Million to Scale Drone Battery Production in North Dakota

New AI-enabled software aims to identify small drone threats earlier and support faster response Teledyne FLIR OEM, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, has announced the launch of Prism C-UAS, a new software solution designed to improve the detection and tracking of small, hard-to-detect drones. The company positions Prism as a software layer that enhances existing… Read more: Teledyne FLIR OEM Launches Prism Software to Detect Small Drones at Longer Range

New analysis highlights how shared innovation pipelines are shaping both commercial drone markets and military capabilities A recent report from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) is drawing attention to a familiar but increasingly important theme in the drone industry: the growing overlap between commercial technology and defense applications. The report, “China’s War Wolves:… Read more: When Commercial Drone Technology Meets Defense: A Closer Look at Civil–Military Integration

New hub aims to speed deployment and improve interoperability across European defense systems A European defense technology company has introduced a new platform designed to help governments find and deploy unmanned systems more quickly. Amsterdam-based Intelic announced the launch of Intelic BASE on May 4, 2026. The platform serves as a procurement hub for Ministries… Read more: New Intelic Platform Lets European Militaries Find and Deploy Drones Faster

Michael Robbins, CEO and President of AUVSI, talks with host Randy Goers about the real forces shaping the uncrewed systems industry, from supply chain security and regulatory bottlenecks to the growing influence of defense priorities, and what it all means for the future of autonomy. We’ll also take a closer look at XPONENTIAL 2026 and… Read more: Inside the Future of Drones: Policy, Security with Michael Robbins, CEO and President of AUVSI on the Drone Radio Show

CEO Adam Bry highlights reduced capital needs as company expands production and commits billions to domestic manufacturing Skydio has raised $110 million in Series F financing, led by existing investors, bringing the company’s valuation to $4.4 billion. In a LinkedIn post from co-founder and CEO Adam Bry, the leader emphasized a notable shift in the… Read more: Skydio Raises $110M Series F, Signals Strong Revenue and U.S. Manufacturing Push

New integration brings LiDAR mapping and radiation detection together across air and ground platforms Teledyne FLIR Defense has expanded its Third-Party Payload Integration Program with the addition of Emesent’s Hovermap LiDAR payload. Announced at Modern Day Marine 2026, the certification allows the Hovermap system to operate across Teledyne FLIR’s unmanned aerial systems (UAS), ground robots,… Read more: Teledyne FLIR Defense Expands Payload Program with Emesent Hovermap for GPS-Denied Operations

Largest-ever MOD initiative supports Kyiv while strengthening UK drone manufacturing base As the global race to build sovereign drone capability accelerates, the United Kingdom is pairing defense support with industrial strategy. A new announcement from the UK Ministry of Defence marks the country’s largest-ever drone package for Ukraine, while directing funding and contracts to domestic… Read more: UK Drone Package for Ukraine Signals Push to Scale Domestic Industry

Partnership with ThirdEye Systems aims to localize production and accelerate advanced counter-UAS deployment EagleNXT has announced a $10 million strategic investment in Israel-based ThirdEye Systems Ltd. and the formation of a new U.S. joint venture, ThirdEye USA. The move reflects continued growth in counter-drone technology and increased demand for domestically produced solutions in defense and… Read more: EagleNXT Expands Counter-Drone Capabilities with Strategic Investment and U.S. Joint Venture

Maritime risk, insurance pressure, and degraded navigation signals point to new use cases for commercial UAV systems Ongoing tension in the Strait of Hormuz continues to shape how commercial vessels manage risk. The region remains one of the world’s most important shipping corridors, handling a significant share of global oil transit. Amid ongoing hostilities between… Read more: Strait of Hormuz Tensions Highlight a Growing Role for Small Drone Surveillance

Public notice outlines questions about regulatory reforms, spectrum access, and innovation zones The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has opened a new proceeding aimed at strengthening the U.S. drone industry. The effort supports a broader federal strategy focused on domestic production, secure supply chains, and expanded deployment of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The agency’s Wireless Telecommunications… Read more: FCC Seeks Input to Advance U.S. Drone Industry

EU to earmark €115 million for AI, drone innovation By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill The governing body of the European Union plans to launch a €115 million funding program, aimed at speeding the development of “disruptive defense” technologies, such as artificial-intelligence tools, quantum systems and drones. On March 24, the European Commission announced the… Read more: EU Fast-Tracks €115M Defense Innovation Fund to Accelerate Drone and AI Deployment

Canada to establish Drone Innovation Hub By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill Canada, which has become a world leader in the development of autonomous aviation, aims to expand its domestic capacity in the production of drone and aerospace technologies with the creation of a new Drone Innovation Hub. The National Research Council of Canada (NRC)… Read more: Canada Bets Big on Sovereign Drone Power with New National Innovation Hub