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Drone policy, incidents, and industry news across the United States — from statehouses to the national airspace.

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Knightwerx Leaves California, Plants Flag in Scottsdale
Department of Defense

Knightwerx Leaves California, Plants Flag in Scottsdale

Another defense tech company has made the call on California. Knightwerx, a tactical drone developer that built its name making compact military UAS, has moved its headquarters from Camarillo to Scottsdale, and it’s already hiring, as Hoodline reported. The move drops the company squarely into the Phoenix metro’s expanding defense manufacturing corridor just as it…

Detroit Startup Birdstop Deploys Drones to Solve Truck Parking Crisis
United States

Detroit Startup Birdstop Deploys Drones to Solve Truck Parking Crisis

A Detroit-based drone company just turned a very mundane problem into a surprisingly sophisticated aerospace application. Birdstop has deployed autonomous drones at two commercial truck parking sites in Detroit, using AI and computer vision to give drivers real-time visibility into which spots are open, as reported by Traffic Technology Today. It’s a pilot program. It’s…

Navy Tests Drone Kill Chain Against Caribbean Narco Boats
Drone Strike

Navy Tests Drone Kill Chain Against Caribbean Narco Boats

The U.S. Navy just ran a live exercise off Key West testing whether drones and AI can find, track, and engage suspected drug trafficking vessels in real time, as reported by the US Naval Institute. The exercise wasn’t a concept demonstration or a PowerPoint briefing. It was a working kill chain with real hardware, real…

South Carolina Moves to Criminalize Prison Drone Drops
DJI

South Carolina Moves to Criminalize Prison Drone Drops

South Carolina lawmakers are closing a gap that’s been frustrating law enforcement for years. A bill dubbed the South Carolina Drone Regulation and Public Safety Act cleared a Senate committee unanimously this week, following a unanimous House vote last month, as the South Carolina Daily Gazette reported. If it becomes law, the state will finally…

DJI Seeks Court Intervention to Overturn U.S. DoD’s Chinese Military Company Label - Lawmakers Target DJI's Alleged US Drone Loophole Through Anzu Robotics
DJI

FCC Extends Foreign Drone Firmware Waiver To January 2029, Concedes Cutting Off Patches Would Be Worse Than The Ban

The Federal Communications Commission‘s Office of Engineering and Technology released Public Notice DA 26-454 on Friday, May 8, 2026, extending its waiver for software and firmware updates to previously authorized foreign-made drones, UAS critical components, and consumer routers until at least January 1, 2029. The earlier deadlines were January 1, 2027 for drones and March…

Laredo Police Use RAVEN Drones to Locate Vehicle Burglary Suspect
Skydio

Laredo Police Use RAVEN Drones to Locate Vehicle Burglary Suspect

Laredo Police Department officers arrested a 34-year-old man after he burglarized two vehicles early on May 6, with the RAVEN program drones playing a key role in locating him while he hid in nearby brush, as reported by LMT Online. The incident highlights the growing use of small tactical drones for rapid suspect apprehension in…

Northrop Flies DARPA Hybrid-Electric XRQ-73 SHEPARD UAS
Technology

Northrop Flies DARPA Hybrid-Electric XRQ-73 SHEPARD UAS

Northrop Grumman has successfully flown the XRQ-73 SHEPARD, a hybrid-electric flying-wing UAS developed for DARPA’s Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration program. The milestone flight took place in April 2026 at Edwards Air Force Base, California, after previous delays, as reported by Aviation Week. This experimental Group 3 UAS represents a significant step in testing…

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