Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. Shawn Bratton visited Grand Forks Air Force Base as plans move forward for a $250 million Space Operations Center, highlighting the region’s growing importance in U.S. space and defense strategy.
Insitu has been selected to provide ISR services to U.S. military customers using its ScanEagle and Integrator drones under a COCO model. The platforms offer long endurance, VTOL capability and advanced AI features to support flexible, persistent surveillance operations.
Produced by UAS Magazine, the UAS Summit will provide a comprehensive overview of the unmanned aircraft systems industry while celebrating two decades of leadership in UAS development, deployment and technology.
The Army's UAS Project Office has awarded AeroVironment a production contract for AV P550 Long Range Reconnaissance systems, procured through the UAS Marketplace Basic Ordering Agreement. The systems give battalion commanders enhanced reconnaissance and targeting capability, with the marketplace mechanism compressing procurement timelines from months to days.
The FCC has updated its Covered List to exempt four uncrewed aircraft systems — from SiFly Aviation, Mobilicom, ScoutDI and Verge — after the Department of War determined they pose no national security risk. The move marks the first batch of Conditional Approvals under a January determination that established three pathways for foreign-produced drone systems to operate outside the Covered List's restrictions through Jan. 1, 2027.
AeroVironment has acquired a California-based unmanned aircraft and advanced air mobility manufacturer for roughly $200 million, marking the defense technology company's second major acquisition in less than a year.
A Belgian defense firm, a U.S. autonomous systems company and a Finnish telecommunications giant have joined forces to develop a sovereign counter-drone capability aimed at protecting Belgian military sites and critical infrastructure.
Senator John Hoeven announced the activation of the Vantis Federal Radar Data Enclave, a secure integration of unfiltered radar data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with the Vantis system at the Northern Plains Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Test Site.
The U.S. Department of War awarded an additional $11.8 million to InDyne Inc. to support PARCS radar operations at Cavalier Space Force Station, raising the total contract value to $72.9 million. The funding strengthens missile warning and space surveillance capabilities and underscores North Dakota’s role in national defense.
Sen. John Hoeven announced he secured more than $100 million in FY 2026 funding for Grand Forks’ aerospace and defense ecosystem, including support for LEO satellite operations, UAS research, protective coatings, hypersonics and regional defense R&D. The bill also includes $4 million to bring Q Station to Grand Forks, where it will partner with The Hive and help expand the state’s technology and UAS industries.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and Barzan Holdings have signed an MOU in Doha to collaborate on advanced battle management software aimed at improving situational awareness and decision-making in multi-domain operations.
Vantis has enabled ISight Drone Services to become the first operator approved for BVLOS flights across all four Vantis service areas, allowing statewide drone operations in North Dakota. The FAA-approved waiver supports expanded missions, including medical delivery research, and highlights the maturity of the Vantis BVLOS system.
The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority has accredited five training centers specializing in unmanned aircraft systems as part of efforts to strengthen professional competencies in the civil aviation sector. The accreditation supports expanded access to certified UAS training while reinforcing national safety and regulatory standards.
Federal restrictions prohibiting the use of certain foreign-manufactured drones on federal and federally assisted projects took effect Dec. 22, 2025. The rules, implemented under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024, bar contractors and funding recipients from operating or purchasing covered unmanned aircraft systems with federal funds.
The FCC updated its Covered List to include foreign-made drones and critical UAS components following a national security determination by executive branch agencies. The decision applies only to new device models and does not affect the use or sale of previously authorized drones.
Quantum Systems and ADV Defense signed a memorandum of understanding during the German-Baltic Defence Industry Conference in Vilnius to expand German–Lithuanian cooperation in defense technology. The partnership focuses on industrial collaboration, market development, localization and joint research and development of unmanned systems. The agreement supports Quantum Systems’ long-term strategy to deepen its industrial presence on NATO’s Eastern Flank and bolster Lithuania’s defense ecosystem.
The Defense Innovation Unit has formally transitioned management of the Blue UAS Cleared List to the Defense Contract Management Agency, moving the Department’s vetted catalog of secure drones to a new command in Palmdale, California. The shift is intended to scale trusted drone procurement and support the Department’s goal of achieving small UAS dominance by 2027.
Fortem Technologies has been selected as one of the first companies admitted to the U.S. Army’s new G-TEAD Marketplace, a contracting framework designed to rapidly deliver advanced technology to operational users. The designation allows Army and U.S. government agencies to acquire Fortem’s counter-UAS systems quickly and without additional competition. The selection underscores Fortem’s vetted capabilities and supports the Army’s broader acquisition modernization efforts.
Sphere has received CASA approval for Broad Area BVLOS Self-Assessment operations, positioning it among Australia’s most advanced enterprise drone providers. The milestone enables faster regulatory approvals and real-world deployment of scalable, autonomous missions across mining, utilities and infrastructure sectors.
AUVSI is urging the U.S. Senate to swiftly confirm Ryan McCormack, Daniel J. Edwards and Trent Morse to key transportation leadership roles at the Department of Transportation and Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. The organization said their experience will advance innovation, safety and modernization in U.S. airspace and transportation systems.
Ondas Holdings will acquire Sentrycs, an Israel-based leader in Cyber-over-RF counter-UAS technology, expanding its global defense footprint across 25+ countries. The acquisition unites Sentrycs’ AI-driven drone detection and takeover systems with Iron Drone’s interceptor technology, creating a fully integrated detect-to-defeat defense ecosystem for complex airspace threats.
The Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) announced a new partnership with Altana, the network for trusted trade, to enhance supply chain assurance across the Green UAS Certification and Blue UAS Recognized Assessor programs.
DroneShield, a global leader in counter-drone technology, announced the release of its latest White Paper: Best Practices for Counter-Drone Deployment at Civil Airports, alongside a strategic collaboration with SRI Group, an independent aviation security and technology advisory company led by former U.S. Transportation Security Administration Deputy Administrator John Halinski.
Axon announced that the Campbell Police Department in California received a groundbreaking waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration for beyond visual line of sight operations as part of its Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program. This approval is the first of its kind to include nighttime operations and allows Campbell PD to fly missions using Dedrone by Axon’s cutting-edge DedroneBeyond technology without the need for visual observers.
Xplorate has achieved a historic milestone with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) granting approval for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations across an extraordinary 58,000 square kilometers of Queensland’s Surat Basin. This new authorization, issued under CASA.BVLOS.0097, represents one of the largest and most complex BVLOS approval ever awarded in Australia, and covers an area larger than the entire country of Switzerland.
The 2025 UAS Summit & Expo concluded with record-breaking participation and industry engagement, reinforcing its role as the largest and most influential gathering in the global UAS sector. The event welcomed over 750 attendees, 50 exhibitors and 80 speakers.
U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) addressed attendees virtually at the 19th annual Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Summit and Expo in Grand Forks. He announced Grand Forks Air Force Base will serve as the home of the new Point Defense Battle Lab, which will play a pivotal role in countering the type of small drone warfare being instigated by adversaries.
By a vote of 77 to 20, the United States Senate passed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), authorizing more than $900 billion in FY26 for defense-related initiatives. The annual bill accelerates the rebuilding of the United States’ arsenal of democracy by reforming the Pentagon’s budgeting and acquisition process to spur innovation, returning the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to its warfighting mission, and increasing military readiness.
Little Threat, Big Challenge: Defending Against Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Unveils New Plan to Fast-Track Advanced Air Mobility Vehicles
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced a new pilot program within the Federal Aviation Administration to accelerate the deployment of advanced air mobility vehicles. These new technologies have the potential to transform aviation, including expanding connectivity to rural American communities, reducing road congestion in urban areas, and enhancing emergency services or medical transport. The action follows President Trump’s executive order to unleash American drone dominance.
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