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Haye Kesteloo

Haye Kesteloo

Haye Kesteloo is the Editor in Chief and Founder of DroneXL.co, where he covers all drone-related news, DJI rumors and writes drone reviews, and of EVXL.co, for all electric vehicle news. Haye can be reached at haye @ dronexl.co or @hayekesteloo.

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2020
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Drone Maker Stark Defence Targets $500M Valuation in Sequoia-Led Funding Round
Ukraine

Drone Maker Stark Defence Targets $500M Valuation in Sequoia-Led Funding Round

Europe’s drone race just went up a gear: Sequoia is leading a fresh round that could push German loitering‑munition maker Stark near a $500M valuation—right as Germany targets €162B in annual defense spend by 2029. German attack drone startup Stark Defence is in advanced talks to raise about $60 million in new funding led by…

Griffon Aerospace Unveils Shahed-Style MQM-172 Arrowhead Drone with 100-Pound Payload
Ukraine

Griffon Aerospace Unveils Shahed-Style MQM-172 Arrowhead Drone with 100-Pound Payload

Alabama-based drone manufacturer Griffon Aerospace has introduced the MQM-172 Arrowhead, a new unmanned aircraft system designed as both a high-performance target drone and a configurable kamikaze platform. The system was announced Sunday, with company program manager Daniel Beck emphasizing its flexibility across training and combat roles, reports Interesting Engineering. Shahed-Inspired Kamikaze

Taiwan to Reclassify Small Drones as ‘Consumables’ for Faster Military Procurement
Anduril

Taiwan to Reclassify Small Drones as ‘Consumables’ for Faster Military Procurement

Taiwan will reclassify small drones as “consumables” instead of durable military equipment, a move aimed at accelerating drone access for its armed forces amid growing tensions with China. The change, patterned after a recent U.S. policy, is expected to streamline procurement and foster tighter cooperation between Taiwan’s military and its domestic drone industry, reports Focus…

Oak Brook Police Deploy Illinois’ First Fully Autonomous Drone as First Responder
Police

Oak Brook Police Deploy Illinois’ First Fully Autonomous Drone as First Responder

Cutting-edge unmanned aircraft technology has arrived in suburban Chicago, with the Oak Brook Police Department becoming the first in Illinois to launch a fully autonomous drone as a first responder tool. According to a WLS report, the drone—developed by Flock Safety—can respond faster than patrol cars across the village, raising both public safety potential and…

drone spray pasture weed uas uav agras dji
FCC Filing

Farmers eye American-made options as DJI nears FCC Covered List deadline

Circle the date: December 23, 2025. If no audit lands by then, new DJI sales could go dark—and growers will need a Plan B An emerging U.S. agricultural drone sector is bracing for a decisive policy deadline that could curtail new DJI sales by year-end, even as domestic maker Hylio moves to expand output—setting up…

Huntington Beach Police launch drone first responders to hit scenes in under 2 minutes
Police

Huntington Beach Police launch drone first responders to hit scenes in under 2 minutes

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — The Huntington Beach Police Department (HBPD) is expanding its use of drones to improve emergency response times, marking a significant shift in how law enforcement deploys technology to support frontline operations. The agency’s newly launched Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program positions unmanned aircraft as rapid-response tools in emergencies, with…

Russia adds remote control to Shahed drones, accelerating jet-powered upgrades - Ukrainian bomb disposal specialists and law enforcement inspect debris from a Shahed drone after an attack in Kharkiv on June 4, 2025. © Sergey Bobok, AFP
United States

AliExpress Markets Shahed’s Secret Weapon—Game-Changing Antenna Evades Jamming

When does online shopping cross into national security? Look no further than the AliExpress listing shaking up drone warfare. A core navigation component used in Russian Shahed-series attack drones, vital for maintaining operational integrity against electronic countermeasures, is now being openly marketed on AliExpress. This development raises significant operational and security concerns for dro

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