Welcome to your weekly UAS news update. We have three stories for you this week: two more drones received exemptions from the FCC’s foreign-drone restrictions, Axon Vision and ParaZero teamed up on a net-based counter-drone system, and the FAA approved a drone system that can trigger controlled avalanches. Let’s get to it.
FCC Clears Two More Drone Systems
The Federal Communications Commission has conditionally approved two more drone systems under its foreign-drone exemption process: EXEDY Globalparts’ Ayre CX, an agricultural spraying drone with a 15-gallon tank, and Parallel Flight Technologies’ Firefly, a heavy-lift aircraft capable of carrying a 100-pound payload.
These two additions bring the total number of exempted systems to 17, according to the update. We covered the Firefly’s FAA Section 44807 exemption earlier this year, which cleared the heavy aircraft for commercial operations in US airspace.
The FCC added nearly all foreign-made drones and critical components to its Covered List in December, blocking new equipment authorizations over national-security concerns. The agency began granting individual conditional approvals in March.
There is an important change for manufacturers. The video notes that approvals issued under the updated policy no longer automatically expire at the end of 2026. Manufacturers can retain them as long as they follow the onshoring plans they submitted.
For everyday consumer pilots, nothing changes right now. These are commercial and industrial systems, not camera drones. DJI and Autel still cannot obtain new FCC equipment authorizations through this process.
ParaZero Adds Net Interception to Axon Vision’s ForceField
ParaZero Technologies and Axon Vision have introduced a new ForceField counter-UAS configuration that combines passive electro-optical detection, AI-assisted threat analysis, engagement management, human oversight, and ParaZero’s autonomous DefendAir net-based interceptor for fixed sites where bullets or explosives pose unacceptable collateral risks.
DefendAir captures a rogue drone with a net instead of shooting it down. The companies are marketing the configuration for airports, energy facilities, critical infrastructure, and other sensitive locations where explosive effects, fragmentation, or rounds downrange would be unacceptable.
ForceField follows a “Detect, Understand, Respond” cycle. Its passive sensors and Edge AI analyze the threat, while a human remains in the loop before the system responds. DefendAir gives that architecture a non-explosive physical interception option alongside ForceField’s existing kinetic configuration.
The companies say they demonstrated interoperability during a trial campaign in Israel. That claim comes from their press release, and the agreement is still a non-binding memorandum of understanding, so treat the performance and commercialization language with caution.
There is another practical point. Calling a net capture “non-destructive” does not remove every risk. The intercepted drone still has to come down, which can threaten the aircraft and anyone underneath it.
FAA Opens a Path for Avalanche-Control Drones
The FAA has granted regulatory approval for Drone Amplified’s MONTIS system, giving ski resorts, transportation departments, and private operators a legal path to deploy explosive charges from drones and trigger small, controlled avalanches before unstable snow builds into a larger danger.
MONTIS will not replace helicopters, fixed explosive towers, artillery, or skilled ground crews. It gives avalanche teams another option when weather grounds manned aircraft and reduces the number of people who must enter high-risk terrain to place charges.
Drone Amplified says MONTIS builds on engineering from its IGNIS aerial-ignition system and was developed with Austin Powder and CIL Avalanche, with support from the Alaska Department of Transportation. DroneXL first covered Alaska’s drone-based avalanche tests in 2024.
This is a solid example of drones taking on work that is genuinely dangerous for humans. The aircraft does not eliminate avalanche risk, but it can move crews farther away from the most hazardous part of the job.
The conversation continues on Post Flight, where we discuss these stories uncensored in the Pilot Institute Premium Community. We will also be back Monday for the live Q&A.
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