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

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DARPA Backs Albatross-Inspired Drone to Extend Flight Range
Aloft

DARPA Backs Albatross-Inspired Drone to Extend Flight Range

The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded a multimillion-dollar grant to a research team developing albatross-inspired drones designed to soar longer and use less power, according to The University of Texas at El Paso. The project, called Albatross, adapts natural soaring strategies from seabirds to make uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) more energy-efficient.…

Drones Lead UK Military Strategy as DSEI 2025 Opens
Weaponized drones

Drones Lead UK Military Strategy as DSEI 2025 Opens

As Britain’s Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) arms show opens in London this week, the UK military is ramping up its drone programs, training soldiers for strike missions and courting industry partners to deliver advanced uncrewed aerial systems (UAS). The effort, backed by billions in government funding, draws directly from Ukraine’s experience where drones…

ukraine fpv drone drones sting
Ukraine

Blackwater Founder Targets Ukraine Drone Makers Amid Pentagon “Drone Dominance” Drive

Erik Prince, founder of the now-defunct private military company Blackwater, is actively pursuing acquisitions in Ukraine’s drone industry, according to multiple sources cited by the Guardian. Prince’s reported efforts come as former President Donald Trump’s administration considers using U.S. private military contractors in a postwar Ukraine. Prince’s activities highlight the growing commercial a

U.S. reopens Reaper exports: MTCR shift puts Saudi MQ‑9 buy in play
United States

U.S. reopens Reaper exports: MTCR shift puts Saudi MQ‑9 buy in play

Washington is set to reopen the Reaper export door—with a triple‑digit Saudi order waiting in the queue. The United States is preparing to expand exports of heavy attack drones by reinterpreting the 1987 Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), enabling Foreign Military Sales of MQ‑9 Reaper–class systems to U.S. partners, according to Reuters. Policy change reframes…

Amazon Prime Air vs. Model Flyers: Darlington Drone Trial Triggers 8‑Mile Airspace Fight
Amazon

Amazon Prime Air vs. Model Flyers: Darlington Drone Trial Triggers 8‑Mile Airspace Fight

Amazon’s plan to launch drone parcel deliveries from its Darlington warehouse is facing organized resistance from a local model aircraft club that warns the retail giant “cannot take over” shared airspace, intensifying the debate over how Prime Air integrates with hobby, commercial, and government users, reports The Telegraph. Local pushback details Teesside Model Flying Club,…

Police Drone Tracks Down Suspect Who Fled Crash Scene in Indiana
Police

Police Drone Tracks Down Suspect Who Fled Crash Scene in Indiana

A Knox County Sheriff’s Office drone helped locate and apprehend a suspect who fled into wooded terrain after crashing a vehicle late Thursday night, according to a report from MyWabashValley.com. Drone-Assisted Search in Cornfields and Wooded Areas The incident began around 11:00 p.m. on September 4 when deputies responded to a vehicle crash on North…

Shahed-136 loitering munition displayed on a launch rail at an Iranian exhibition
Russia

Russia adds remote control to Shahed drones, accelerating jet-powered upgrades

Russia is rapidly modifying Iranian-designed Shahed attack drones with onboard cameras, modem antennas, and jet engines to enable remote piloting at higher speeds, according to a UNITED24-sourced report published by Defence Blog, signaling a major escalation aimed at overwhelming Ukraine’s air defenses and striking dynamic targets in real time. Source: UNITED24 via Defence Blog. Mass…

Trump Administration Targets Chinese Drone Imports in September Crackdown. Artist impression. Not a real photo.
China

Trump Administration Targets Chinese Drone Imports in September Crackdown

The Trump administration announced plans Friday to issue rules this month targeting Chinese drone imports and heavy-duty vehicles, marking the latest escalation in national security restrictions against Chinese technology. New Rules Target Drones and Heavy Vehicles The U.S. Commerce Department said it will issue regulations as early as September 2025 addressing national security risks involving…

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