DEALS
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. Also on LinkedIn, Muck Rack, Instagram and YouTube.

6,443
Articles
273
Beats covered
2020
Writing since
Sep 29
Latest story
Sort
U.S. Navy’s Drone Boat Program Faces Crashes, Software Failures, and Leadership Shakeups
Department of Defense

U.S. Navy’s Drone Boat Program Faces Crashes, Software Failures, and Leadership Shakeups

The U.S. Navy’s ambitious effort to build a fleet of autonomous drone boats capable of countering China in the Pacific is struggling with technical failures and internal turmoil, according to a detailed Reuters report. Recent tests have resulted in collisions, software malfunctions, and operational accidents, while the Navy’s acquisition program has been rocked by leadership…

Armed Drone Explodes at Haiti SWAT Base, Killing 2 Officers and Exposing UAV Protocol Gaps
Police

Armed Drone Explodes at Haiti SWAT Base, Killing 2 Officers and Exposing UAV Protocol Gaps

Two Haitian police officers were killed and six others injured after an attack drone deployed in Haiti’s anti-gang campaign detonated at a police base in Port-au-Prince, raising urgent questions about how government-run and contractor-led drone strike operations are coordinated and secured, reports the New York Times. Fatal Blast During Drone Disarmament at SWAT Facility Officials…

Russian Drone Crash in Eastern Poland Seen as Possible Provocation
Police

Russian Drone Crash in Eastern Poland Seen as Possible Provocation

A Russian-made Shahed drone crashed in eastern Poland overnight, sparking concerns in Warsaw about possible deliberate provocation amid ongoing talks about peace in Ukraine, according to Reuters. Incident Details in Osiny Village The unmanned aerial vehicle struck a cornfield in Osiny, a village located in Poland’s eastern Lublin province, about 62 miles (100 km) from…

Oceanside Police Launch Drone as First Responder Program to Cut Response Times
FAA

Oceanside Police Launch Drone as First Responder Program to Cut Response Times

The Oceanside Police Department has officially launched a Drone as First Responder (DFR) pilot program, aiming to slash response times from an average of five minutes down to just 60–90 seconds. The 13-month initiative, approved by the Oceanside City Council, is funded by a $264,816 state grant and is designed to improve officer safety, enhance…

Grid Aero Unveils Lifter-Lite Cargo Drone with U.S. Air Force Backing
US Air Force

Grid Aero Unveils Lifter-Lite Cargo Drone with U.S. Air Force Backing

Aerospace startup Grid Aero has emerged from stealth mode with a bold entry into the defense drone sector: the Lifter-Lite, a long-range cargo drone designed to fly thousands of miles with heavy payloads. Backed by a fresh $6 million seed round and a U.S. Air Force contract, the company aims to redefine how militaries move…

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

— The DroneXL Briefing · Free

The drone industry moves fast. Stay ahead of it.

One email with the drone news that matters — DJI, FAA, public safety, and everything in between, straight from the newsroom. No spam, no fluff.

8,400+
Articles published
340+
Beats & desks
2020
Covering drones since
100%
Independent