Specialist

News, deep dives, and analysis — every Specialist story, newest first.

757

Articles

Beats covered

Reporters on beat

Aug 14

Last updated

Canada

Volatus Aerospace Launches NATO-Aligned Drone Manufacturing Hub in Canada to Boost Defense Readiness

Canadian drone manufacturer Volatus Aerospace announced plans to establish a 200,000-square-foot Innovation Center and Manufacturing Hub at Montréal-Mirabel International Airport, marking a significant expansion of domestic defense drone production aligned with NATO requirements. The facility will produce both proprietary Volatus platforms and licensed partner systems to support the Canadian Armed

Haye KestelooOct 27

Underwater drone

French Underwater Drone Maker Exail Soars 370% as European Defense Boom Fuels Growth

French underwater drone manufacturer Exail Technologies posted an 18% surge in third-quarter revenue as European defense spending accelerates in response to Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to Baird Maritime. The company’s stock has rocketed 370% this year, lifting its market value above €1.4 billion ($1.5 billion USD) from less than €300 million ($320 million USD)…

Haye KestelooOct 23

DJI

DJI Mini 5 Pro: A Beginner’s Guide to Not Crashing

Hello fellow pilot! I bet you are happy and proud of your brand new Mini 5 Pro. Now, I’m going to guide you through the first, crucial steps of optimizing your purchase so you can squeeze every penny out of it… and hopefully not crash it on your first gig. I don’t know if this…

Rafael SuárezOct 22

Beyond Obstacle Avoidance: What First Responders Must Know About Drone Operations Over Crowds

DJI

Beyond Obstacle Avoidance: What First Responders Must Know About Drone Operations Over People

Public safety agencies nationwide are rapidly adopting drones for crowd monitoring, emergency response, and situational awareness. These platforms provide valuable real-time intelligence that can improve officer safety and operational effectiveness. However, as drone operations over people become routine, agencies must carefully balance operational capabilities against physical risks, including im

Haye KestelooOct 20

Ukraine Emerges as NATO’s Drone Warfare Teacher as Europe Rushes to Learn Battle-Tested Tactics

NASA

Ukraine’s $2,500 Interceptor Drones Are Rewriting Air Defense Doctrine as NATO Scrambles to Learn

What Ukrainian troops dismissed as “Star Wars” fantasy a year ago has become the most cost-effective air defense innovation of the war—and now NATO is racing to adopt the same technology. Ukraine’s cheap interceptor drones are hunting down Russian attack drones mid-flight at a fraction of traditional missile costs, fundamentally changing how modern air defense…

Haye KestelooOct 18

DJI

DJI Mini 5 Pro Focus Track User Guide (POI, Spotlight and ActiveTrack)

Good day, folks. Shawn here from Air Photography. I’ve been working on a series of videos for those brand new to the Mini 5 Pro to help familiarize them with some of the drone’s features and capabilities. The other day, I uploaded a beginner’s guide on how to create waypoint missions. In today’s video, we’re…

Shawn Air PhotographyOct 17

Drone Delivery

Skyways Autonomous Drone Cuts Offshore Wind Supply Time from 2 Hours to 26 Minutes

Skyways has successfully completed the world’s first repeated autonomous cargo drone deliveries directly to offshore wind turbines, proving that long-range unmanned aircraft can handle the harsh conditions and precision requirements of real-world renewable energy operations. In partnership with German energy operator RWE and BVLOS specialist Skyports Drone Services, the Austin-based autonomous air

Haye KestelooOct 16

FAA

Reliable Robotics Secures $17.4M Air Force Deal As FAA Approves Fully Autonomous Aircraft Testing

The future of autonomous aviation just got a major boost. Reliable Robotics has secured a $17.4 million contract with the US Air Force to integrate its fully autonomous flight system onto a Cessna 208B Caravan, marking a significant milestone in the push toward certifiable pilotless aircraft operations. The California-based company successfully completed FAA-approved test flights…

Haye KestelooOct 15

Specialist

The drone industry moves fast. Stay ahead of it.