California

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Aug 30

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Drone Companies

Firefighting Drone Startup Seneca Secures Record $60M to Deploy Autonomous Suppression System

California-based startup Seneca has emerged from stealth mode with $60 million in funding to deploy AI-powered autonomous firefighting drones capable of suppressing wildfires within minutes of detection. The round, believed to be the largest early-stage investment in wildfire defense technology, was led by Caffeinated Capital and Convective Capital. Founded by Stuart Landesberg—who previously buil

Haye KestelooOct 25

Chula Vista police drone - FAA approval for Chula Vista Police Department to fly beyond-visual-line-of-sight

Skydio

Chula Vista Ordered to Pay $500K in Legal Fees After Losing Landmark Police Drone Transparency Case

A San Diego judge has ordered the City of Chula Vista to pay over $500,000 in legal fees after losing a groundbreaking four-year legal battle over public access to police drone videos, delivering a costly lesson in transparency that could reshape how law enforcement agencies nationwide handle drone footage requests. Superior Court Judge Katherine Bacal…

Haye KestelooOct 23

Aerovironment

AeroVironment Wins Army’s $96M Contract, Shakes Up U.S. Missile Monopoly

AeroVironment has secured a $96 million U.S. Army contract to produce Freedom Eagle counter-drone missiles, marking a historic shift in American defense manufacturing. The California-based company beat RTX—the world’s second-largest defense contractor—to win the Next-Generation Counter-UAS Missile program. This breakthrough ends decades of dominance by a handful of traditional missile manufacturer

Haye KestelooOct 22

Police

California Police Department Withdraws Drone Research Proposal After Community Backlash

The Eureka Police Department pulled a proposal Monday that would have allowed the agency to begin researching a drone program, following organized opposition from privacy activists who mobilized community members ahead of Tuesday’s city council meeting. The withdrawal highlights how California‘s military equipment ordinance creates checkpoints that can delay or derail law enforcement drone adoptio

Haye KestelooOct 21

Skydio X10 Drone Gets Major Upgrades: Enhanced Sensors, Safety Features, and Connectivity

DJI

AI-Powered Police Drones Reach 1,500 US Departments As Landmark Privacy Lawsuit Tests Legal Limits

Police and sheriff’s departments across America have rapidly embraced AI-powered drones for everything from pursuits and investigations to emergency response, with approximately 1,500 agencies now operating drone programs by late 2024—a 150% increase since 2018. But as departments deploy increasingly sophisticated surveillance technology capable of monitoring biometric data from hundreds of meters

Haye KestelooOct 11

DJI

Drone News: DJI Announces Mini 5 Pro, CA Drone Pilot Sentenced, SAR Drone Shot During Flight

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update. This week, we cover three important stories: DJI’s expected announcement of the Mini 5 Pro, the sentencing of a drone pilot in California for colliding with a firefighting aircraft, and a search and rescue drone being shot down in Maine. DJI Unveils the Mini 5 Pro As anticipated,…

Greg ReverdiauSep 19

Drone Operator Faces Charges After Super Scooper Collision

FAA

Drone Pilot Sentenced for Crashing UAV Into Firefighting Aircraft in California

A Culver City man has been sentenced for flying a drone that collided with a firefighting aircraft battling the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, causing significant damage and temporarily grounding the critical water-dropping plane, according to NBC LA. Peter Tripp Akemann, 57, a computer game developer, pleaded guilty in February to a federal class-A misdemeanor…

Haye KestelooSep 15

The Future is Here: Jetson Delivers Its First eVTOL to Palmer Luckey

Anduril

The Future is Now: Jetson Delivers Its First eVTOL to Palmer Luckey

Swedish startup Jetson has officially delivered its first-ever Jetson One eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft to a customer.

Rafael SuárezSep 13

California

The drone industry moves fast. Stay ahead of it.