The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) has selected the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) SeaGuardian® Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) systems for its Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle program. This follows JMSDF use of SeaGuardian since May 2023 as part of its Medium-Altitude, Long Endurance RPA System Trial Operations Project.
Eve Air Mobility announced a US $35 million fund from Brazil’s National Development Bank, further solidifying its financial position for continued eVTOL development. This second-phase funding follows a US$92.5 million line of credit secured in 2022 for R&D and a recent US$50 million investment from Citibank, both dedicated to supporting Eve’s eVTOL development program.
AutoFlight, a leading innovator in electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) technology, has marked a significant milestone with its first successful flight in Japan. On November 29, the company’s two-ton eVTOL aircraft completed its inaugural demonstration flight in Okayama Prefecture.
The European Detect and Avoid System (EUDAAS) demonstrator, integrated into Leonardo’s Falco Xplorer, completed its final test flight at Trapani airport, validating advanced sensors, digital flight controls and smart technologies for safe integration of large remotely piloted aircraft into European air traffic alongside other crewed and uncrewed aircraft.
Carbonix's Volanti UAV has been granted a nationwide waiver for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations in uncontrolled airspace across the United States. The Volanti is Carbonix’s fully electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drone.
The NATO Innovation Fund has joined Baillie Gifford in investing in TEKEVER, a leading European company in the AI-enabled Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) sector. Other investors include the National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF), Crescent Cove, Iberis Semper and Cedrus Capital.
Anduril has been awarded a $200 million, five-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract by the U.S. Marine Corps to develop and deliver a Counter Unmanned Aerial System Engagement System for the Marine Air Defense Integrated System.
Red Cat Holdings, Inc. has been selected as the winner of the U.S. Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance Program of Record. The production selection was made after a test and evaluation process of Teal’s next generation sUAS, completed by the Army Project Management Office for Uncrewed Aircraft Systems, Army Maneuver Battle Lab, Army Test and Evaluation Command, and Army Operational Test Center.
SkyDrive Inc. and SAI Flight have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly develop innovative business opportunities utilizing the cutting-edge SKYDRIVE electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The collaboration will focus on advancing air-cargo, air-taxi, and emergency service use cases, paving the way for a new era of efficient and versatile intra-community air travel.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), completed its final qualification test for its new 200-horsepower heavy fuel engine at its El Mirage, California, flight facility. The Heavy Fuel Engine (HFE) 2.0 is a highly reliable low-maintenance engine with a 40 percent increase in service life providing longer maintenance-free operational periods.
AeroVironment, Inc. and BlueHalo LLC announced the execution of a definitive agreement under which it will acquire BlueHalo in an all-stock transaction with an enterprise value of approximately $4.1 billion, creating a more diversified global leader in all-domain defense technologies
Textron Systems Corporation, a Textron Inc. company, announced that it has been awarded a task order valued at up to $47 million by the U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command to provide COCO UAS services to three Independence Class Littoral Combat Ships deploying to 5th Fleet.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) logged another aviation milestone on Nov. 12, 2024, when its Gray Eagle STOL aircraft took off from a South Korean warship and landed at a ground base – the first-ever such mission for an aircraft of this type. The Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) then flew to Pohang Navy Airfield and landed normally.
Drone Express (DEXA) announced that it has been granted FAA’s Part 107 Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) waiver in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. This significant milestone allows DEXA to expand its drone delivery operations and bring faster, more convenient service to a broader customer base.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.= used its MQ-20 Avenger® Unmanned Aircraft System to perform commanded autonomy maneuvers as part of a demonstration with the U.S. Navy (USN). The USN used its MD-5 Ground Control Station (GCS) with Lockheed Martin’s MDCX™ autonomy platform to command and control the jet-powered UAS.
Lockheed Martin collaborated with the U.S. Navy and General Atomics (GA) in a first-ever live control flight demonstration of an uncrewed system by the Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control Station (UMCS). This demonstration is a pathfinder that helps to advance the complex technology necessary to enable crewed and uncrewed teaming as envisioned for programs such as CCA and others.
D-Fend Solutions announced a new agreement with the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division under its Cooperative Research and Development Agreement program. This program will focus on conducting extensive evaluation of D-Fend Solutions’ advanced counter-unmanned aircraft systems technologies in various Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security test beds.
Archer Aviation Inc. and Soracle Corporation, a joint venture newly established by Japan Airlines and Sumitomo Corporation, signed agreements focused on bringing advanced air mobility (AAM) services to Japan.
Eve Air Mobility announced that the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil (ANAC) has published the final version of the airworthiness criteria for Eve’s electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL). This follows a period of public consultation and represents a significant milestone in the certification process of Eve’s eVTOL aircraft.
EHang Holdings Limited announced it has entered into a strategic partnership with the Civil Aviation Flight University of China. The two parties will collaborate on cultivating skilled personnel, including operators and maintenance staffs for EHang’s pilotless electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing ("eVTOL") aircraft, and their training for personnel licenses and operational supervision.
Eve Air Mobility and Embraer-CAE Training Services (ECTS), a joint venture between Embraer and CAE Inc., announced that ECTS has been selected as the training provider for Eve’s electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft pilots, maintenance technicians and ground handling personnel. The services will be part of the recently announced Eve TechCare, the company’s all-in-one service portfolio for eVTOLs.
Eve Air Mobility has announced a $50M loan from Citibank N.A. The funding, which will strengthen Eve’s balance sheet, will support the company’s aircraft research and development program.
Honeywell has announced a strategic investment and collaboration with Near Earth Autonomy to support multiple autonomous rotorcraft program pursuits, including the United States Marine Corps Aerial Logistics Connector.
River Capital Limited announced its strategic commitment to the eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) market, positioning itself as a key player in the evolution of urban air mobility. This investment is poised to catalyze significant advancements in aerial transportation, bringing sustainable and efficient solutions to urban environments worldwide.
The Oregon UAS Accelerator, a leading force in unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and unmanned robotic systems (URS) innovation, is now accepting applications for its March 2025 cohort. This program offers entrepreneurs and startups a unique opportunity to revolutionize the rapidly evolving unmanned systems industry.
The Australian Association for Uncrewed Systems (AAUS) and the Australian Certified UAV Operators (ACUO) have announced an exciting new chapter for the uncrewed systems industry in Australia, uniting under a single banner to better represent and advocate for the sector.
Aviant is the $1 million grand prize winner of round eight of the GENIUS NY accelerator. The Norway-based company leverages advanced drone technology to provide autonomous last-mile delivery solutions, enhancing efficiency and reliability in logistics. Their system offers a seamless, on-demand delivery service, reducing delivery times and costs while improving customer satisfaction.
The NPUASTS has surpassed significant milestones toward accomplishing the announced goals of Project Unmanned Logistics, Traffic, Research and Autonomy (ULTRA), and is planning and implementing unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) flights to support it.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued the final version of its Special Federal Aviation Regulation for powered lift aircraft operations. Representatives from the Association for Uncrewed Systems International (AUVSI) applaud the FAA for issuing the regulation in compliance with Congressionally mandated timelines and making changes from the draft rule to the final rule that ensure the U.S. will maintain global leadership in this critical segment of advanced aviation.
Expanding its pioneering Drone as First Responder (DFR) program, Campbell Police Department is the first in California, using optical and radar sensors, to incorporate radar in a Part 91.113(b) waiver request to conduct single-person operations, which requires only one operator for flight operations. Adding radar also allows Campbell PD to operate without human visual observers at night.
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