Dual Use

Battery Endurance: The Persistent Drone Challenge Battery life has long stood as a defining constraint in commercial and dual-use drone operations. For missions ranging from infrastructure inspection and agricultural mapping to search and rescue and military reconnaissance, flight endurance limits both operational range and payload capabilities. Conventional lithium-ion batteries, while the current industry standard, often… Read more: Solid State Batteries: A Disruptive Force in the Commercial and Dual-Use Drone Market

As radio-controlled drones face growing interference, Ukraine and Russia embrace fiber-optic UAVs for unjammable, high-precision operations. What Is a Fiber-Optic Drone? Fiber-optic drones are first-person-view (FPV) drones or loitering munitions connected to their operator by an ultra-thin fiber-optic cable rather than a radio link. These tethers, often stretching up to 20 kilometers or more, carry… Read more: Tethered and Unstoppable: How Fiber-Optic Drones Are Rewriting the Rules of Battlefield Control

The drone industry in the United States is experiencing a surge in investment and capital flow, as a series of legislative measures and executive directives reshape the procurement and manufacturing environment for both established and emerging drone companies. Recent months have brought a flood of funding announcements, with sector analysts citing a direct connection to… Read more: U.S. Drone Industry Investment Surges Amid Sweeping Legislative Reforms

Big Plans for Drone Collaboration The United States and Ukraine are in advanced talks over a new partnership that could change the future of small drones on both sides of the Atlantic. Leaders from both countries are working on a landmark agreement that would see the US investing in Ukraine’s rapidly growing drone industry in… Read more: US and Ukraine Move Closer to Landmark Drone Deal

DRONELIFE is pleased to present this guest post by Matt Sloane, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of SkyfireAI. As a prominent figure in the drone industry, Matt brings a wealth of expertise and firsthand experience to the table. In this piece, Matt discusses his reactions to the current legislative movements impacting the drone industry. DRONELIFE neither… Read more: SkyfireAI: The Starting Gun Has Fired on the Drone “Space Race”

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has announced substantial changes to its Blue sUAS program, now immediately recognizing Green UAS certified platforms as eligible for Blue UAS Cleared status. These updates represent a more inclusive approach to certifying secure unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for governmental and Department of Defense (DoD) use. Major Context: Hegseth’s Memo and… Read more: DIU Expands Blue sUAS List to Include Green sUAS Platforms, Clarifies Certification Pathways

New investment supports U.S. expansion and advanced AI robotic systems XTEND, a company known for its AI-powered tactical autonomous robotic systems, has announced the completion of its $70 million Series B funding round. The final $30 million extension was co-led by Aliya Capital Partners and Protego Ventures, with support from investors such as Claltech, Union-Tech… Read more: XTEND Secures $30M Extension to Complete $70M Series B Funding

Major Changes Coming to the Pentagon’s Blue sUAS Drone Program The Pentagon is making sweeping changes to its Blue sUAS program that could transform how the military buys and uses small drones. These reforms, outlined in a new Defense Secretary memo from July 2025, aim to speed up drone purchases and support American companies while… Read more: Pentagon Transfers Blue sUAS Program to DCMA, Opens Door to More Drone Companies

The Department of Defense has taken major steps to speed up the purchase of uncrewed systems. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced sweeping changes on July 10, 2025, that will transform how the military buys and uses drones. New Policy Removes Red Tape Secretary Hegseth released a memo titled “Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance” that eliminates… Read more: Department of Defense Accelerates Drone Procurement: A Game-Changer for Military Operations

Drones Take Center Stage in California’s 2025 Wildfire Response Advanced technology helps agencies fight fires faster and safer California’s 2025 wildfire season has pushed the state to expand its use of drones and other unmanned systems in firefighting. State and local agencies, along with research institutions and private companies, have adopted advanced drones to help… Read more: What’s Flying Above California’s Wildfires? The Drone Revolution Explained

Prosper P.D. launches DFR 2.0 program with Flock Safety technology By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill As police departments across the U.S. embrace the concept of using drones as first responders (DFR), some law enforcement agencies, such as the Prosper, Texas Police Department, are moving forward into the future with DFR 2.0. The department recently… Read more: Prosper P.D. Takes Public Safety to the Next Level with Drone-First Responder 2.0

China has unveiled a mosquito-sized drone that is attracting global attention for its extraordinary miniaturization and stealth. Developed by the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) in Hunan province, this micro aerial vehicle (MAV) closely mimics a real mosquito in both appearance and movement. The project marks a significant advance in micro-robotics and brings to… Read more: China’s Mosquito-Sized Drone: Science Fiction Becomes Reality

Innovative system designed to roll or fly in the most challenging environments Robotican has announced the delivery of dozens of its ROOSTER hybrid drone systems to European special operations forces, intervention units, and infantry teams. This milestone highlights the system’s growing role in modern military and tactical operations. The ROOSTER system recently secured official NATO… Read more: Robotican Delivers Hybrid ROOSTER Drones to European Special Forces

Successful deployment highlights uncrewed surface vehicle performance and integration Saildrone, a global leader in maritime autonomy, has completed a significant demonstration as part of NATO Task Force X’s multi-domain exercise in the Baltic Sea. The deployment showcased the reliability and versatility of the Saildrone Voyager uncrewed service vehicle as a naval drone. From June 16 to… Read more: Saildrone Showcases Voyager USV Capabilities in NATO Baltic Sea Exercise

From Battlefield to Business: The Rise of Collaborative Autonomous Drones Geoff Hitchcock, Chief Revenue Officer at Red Cat Holdings, and Matt Vogt, Chief Revenue Officer at Palladyne AI. share how the two companies are partnering to unlock true autonomous multi-drone collaboration, what this breakthrough means for modern military operations, and how they plan to scale the… Read more: Red Cat Holdings and Palladyne AI on the Drone Radio Show: Multi-Drone Collaboration

ParaZero develops parachute system to deliver blood to troops in the field By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill A system designed by an Israeli company to airdrop emergency supplies to military units is being used to safely deliver units of blood supplies to enable medical personnel to accomplish transfusions on the battlefield. Using its DropAir… Read more: Drones on the Frontline: ParaZero’s Air-Drop Parachute System Brings Blood to the Battlefield

Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill and Drones The reconciliation package formally titled the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) is best known for its tax provisions, but it also embeds an expansive suite of unmanned systems funding that could reshape the U.S. drone ecosystem for years to come. Below is a focused review of the bill’s… Read more: Dronescape: What Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” Means for the Commercial and Dual-Use Drone Industry

Trusted US Thermal Imaging Leader Responds to Growing Demand for NDAA-Compliant Solutions Teledyne FLIR OEM, a leading US-based manufacturer of thermal imaging technology, has announced a major update to its brand and the launch of a new website. This move aims to strengthen the supply chain and speed up innovation in infrared imaging for a… Read more: Teledyne FLIR OEM Launches New Brand and Website to Support Secure US Innovation

New Integrated Payload Solutions Aim to Advance Industrial and Public Safety Drone Operations Gremsy, a leader in gimbal and payload systems, has announced a new global technology partnership with Nokia. The companies will deliver integrated VIO and ORUS-L payloads for the Nokia Drone Networks platform. This partnership aims to provide advanced drone solutions for industrial… Read more: Gremsy and Nokia Announce Partnership to Enhance Drone Networks

Live flight includes automated loading, unloading, and cargo delivery under AFWERX contract MightyFly Showcases Autonomous Cargo Operations MightyFly has completed a successful demonstration of its autonomous cargo aircraft for the U.S. Air Force. The event was held at New Jerusalem Airport in California on May 8, 2025. It was conducted under a Small Business Innovation… Read more: MightyFly Demonstrates Autonomous eVTOL Cargo Capabilities for U.S. Air Force [VIDEO]