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Washington and the drone industry: legislation, procurement, security reviews, and agency policy beyond the FAA.

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Overhead black-and-white view of a DJI Phantom quadcopter surrounded by folding DJI Mavic drones and other multirotors arranged on a white surface
Department of Defense

U.S. Marines Test Fiber Optic FPV Drones at Sea

The U.S. Marine Corps is rediscovering an old truth with a very modern twist. When the airwaves are hostile, unreliable, or outright weaponized, the smartest move might be to avoid them entirely. From January 27 to 29, 2026, I Marine Expeditionary Force, working with the Defense Innovation Unit, evaluated fiber optic FPV drones at Marine…

U.S. Navy MQ-25A Completes First Autonomous Taxi
Department of Defense

U.S. Navy MQ-25A Completes First Autonomous Taxi

The U.S. Navy’s first operational MQ-25A Stingray has completed its first autonomous taxi test, marking a key milestone on the path toward flight operations, as Boeing Defense and Defence Blog confirmed the event on January 30. During the test, air vehicle pilots initiated movement from the Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System. The aircraft then…

Choctaw Nation lands $2M federal grant to fly medical supplies across Oklahoma's rural reservation
Zipline

Choctaw Nation lands $2M federal grant to fly medical supplies across Oklahoma’s rural reservation

The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO) just received a $2 million SMART (Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation) grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to build out a drone-based medical delivery network across its 10,923-square-mile reservation in southeastern Oklahoma. The announcement came alongside a live demonstration at the Atoka Health Clinic, where airborne drone

Super Bowl Drone Ban Expands to San Francisco, Because Of Course It Does
FAA

Super Bowl Drone Ban Expands to San Francisco, Because Of Course It Does

It is the least shocking aviation news of the year that drones are banned over the Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. A massive sporting event, tens of thousands of fans, the NFL’s legal team hovering like attack hawks. No one expected otherwise. What is surprising is that the Federal Aviation Administration decided…

DJI Lito Rumors Hint at a New Lightweight Drone for 2026
DJI Rumors

DJI Lito Rumors Hint at a New Lightweight Drone for 2026

DJI usually introduces new drones with glossy trailers, dramatic lighting, and enough slow motion propeller footage to convince you this thing will change your life. DJI Lito did not get that treatment. Instead, it appeared quietly in FCC documents, like a note slipped under the door that simply reads, “Approved,” and then disappears into the…

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