US Government

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

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Oct 27

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Pentagon Laser Shoots Down CBP Drone Near El Paso

Department of Defense

Pentagon Shoots Down Its Own $30M CBP Drone at the Texas Border and Still Has No Fix for the Coordination Failure That Caused It

A U.S. military high-energy laser destroyed a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) surveillance drone near Fort Hancock, Texas on Thursday, February 26. The reason: CBP never told the Pentagon it was flying one. The military saw an unidentified aircraft in military airspace, identified it as a threat, and fired. Cost to taxpayers: an estimated…

Haye KestelooFeb 28

Ondas Targets Rafael Drone Unit in Israeli Defense Push

Department of Defense

Oppenheimer’s $400 Billion Drone Market Forecast Bets Big on Defense, Names Ondas as Top Pick

I’ve been covering drone industry investment cycles for years, and every few months a new Wall Street note lands with a number big enough to make you do a double take. This one cleared that bar. Oppenheimer just put a $400 billion price tag on the global drone market within a decade, and the thesis…

Haye KestelooFeb 27

DJI

EASA Updates Official List of 66 EU-Approved Drones, With DJI Holding 26 Spots — And the Cx System May Change Soon

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has published its latest official list of drones approved for operation in the EU, covering 66 systems across the Open and Specific categories. The list is a practical reference, not a press release. If you’re buying a drone for commercial work in Europe, or advising someone who is, this…

Haye KestelooFeb 27

Texas

US Military Shoots Down CBP’s Own Drone Near Texas Border, Democrats Demand Independent Investigation

The Pentagon fired a high-energy laser at a drone near Fort Hancock, Texas on Thursday — and destroyed it. The problem: it was a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) drone. CBP had not told the military it was flying one. The Pentagon saw an unidentified aircraft, engaged it, and the FAA responded by shutting…

Haye KestelooFeb 27

Department of Homeland Security

Fortem Lands $18M Army Counter-Drone Deal

The counter drone race just added fresh fuel. Fortem Technologies has secured a three year, $18 million contract with the U.S. Army to deploy its net based DroneHunter interceptors at Army sites worldwide, as TechBuzzNews reports. The award signals something bigger than a procurement line item. It reflects a structural shift in how the Pentagon…

Rafael SuárezFeb 27

Department of Defense

Pentagon Laser Shoots Down CBP Drone Near El Paso, Exposing a Deeper Government Coordination Failure

The Department of Defense used a high-energy laser to destroy a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) drone over Fort Hancock, Texas on Thursday, February 26, according to four officials who spoke to The New York Times. The FAA responded by shutting down airspace below 18,000 feet over the area and Democratic lawmakers immediately called…

Haye KestelooFeb 27

Anduril

US Air Force swaps AI midflight on YFQ-44A

The United States Air Force just treated combat drone autonomy like an app you can close and reopen, except this app flies at jet speeds. In a recent test, Anduril Industries demonstrated that its YFQ-44A Collaborative Combat Aircraft can switch between two completely different mission autonomy systems while airborne, no landing, no wrench turning, no…

Rafael SuárezFeb 27

Department of Justice

DJI hired Biden’s former Solicitor General and a former FCC enforcement chief to fight the drone ban

DJI hired former Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar and ex-FCC enforcement chief Travis LeBlanc to fight the drone ban. The court filing reveals new details.

Haye KestelooFeb 25

US Government

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