Industry

Funding rounds, partnerships, layoffs, and the market math underneath the drone headlines.

803

Articles

102

Beats covered

Reporters on beat

Oct 26

Last updated

Elevate UAV conference promotional graphic showing a pilot holding a drone controller, a panel discussion on stage and an exhibitor hall

Events

Drone Nerds Moves ElevateUAV 2026 to Gulfstream Park for Live Demos

Drone Nerds brings its ElevateUAV summit to Gulfstream Park on November 17 and 18, 2026, with live flight demos and Autel, Vantage Robotics and Inspired Flight exhibiting.

Haye KestelooAug 24

Aerial view of a red crawler crane lowering a steel deck section at the tip of the unfinished Gordie Howe International Bridge cable-stayed span over the Detroit River

DJI

DJI Is 97% Of US Contractor Drone Fleets Despite FCC Ban, ABC Finds

An ABC survey of construction contractors finds DJI is the primary drone for 97.1% of members who fly, months after the FCC blocked new foreign models.

Haye KestelooAug 24

Hundreds of illuminated drones form glowing purple clusters in the night sky above the treeline of Central Park in New York, with rows of lit launch pads and spectators in the foreground.

FCC BAN

FCC Labels Drone Light Shows Military-Grade While US Operators Fly Korean And Chinese Fleets

The FCC's swarm rule names drone light shows as military-grade. The US industry flies Korean and Chinese hardware. Comments close September 2.

Haye KestelooAug 22

HOVERAir Versa self-flying camera drones in white and black, each with a folding propeller cage and a gimbal-mounted camera above the handheld body

Industry

FCC Tells All Certification Labs To Tighten Drone Screening

After an erroneous grant let a Chinese flying camera reach US buyers, the FCC is sending guidance to every certification body it accredits.

Haye KestelooAug 21

Close-up of a DJI Mini 5 Pro in flight, its gimbal camera and forward sensors facing the viewer against blurred green trees.

OPERATORS

DJI Ban Hits Home: Drone Pilots Ask Whether Their Businesses Survive

A new Part 107 pilot asked Facebook if the DJI ban killed his drone business before launch. 268 comments show what operators face ahead of September 3.

Haye KestelooAug 20

Shield AI's X-BAT fighter drone standing tail-first on its launch trailer in a jungle clearing

Industry

Navy Puts $50 Million On Shield AI's X-BAT While The Air Force Watches

The Navy and Defense Innovation Unit are investing $50 million in Shield AI's X-BAT, a tail-landing fighter drone that has never flown. The Air Force is deliberately sitting this one out, and the hard part is the landing.

Haye KestelooAug 20

AUVSI President and CEO Michael Robbins on stage at XPONENTIAL Detroit in May 2026, weeks after defending the FCC's expanded Covered List.

ADVOCACY

DSPA Presses AUVSI To Back Operators Over Bans After Robbins Exit

DSPA calls on AUVSI to reset after Michael Robbins' exit: back drone operators, demand evidence, and judge drones on risk, not country of origin.

Haye KestelooAug 20

AUVSI President and CEO Michael Robbins speaking on stage at XPONENTIAL Detroit in May 2026.

LOBBYING

AUVSI's Robbins Exits For SIA As The Drone Ban He Backed Rolls On

Michael Robbins leaves AUVSI September 30 to run the Semiconductor Industry Association, the industry he spent three years telling drone makers to copy.

Haye KestelooAug 18

Industry

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