News

New AI tool delivers accurate jobsite updates in minutes, saving time and reducing risk DroneDeploy Introduces AI-Powered Construction Progress Tool DroneDeploy has announced the launch of Progress AI, an artificial intelligence tool that automates construction progress tracking from drone and 360-degree camera data. Designed to replace time-consuming manual updates, Progress AI generates fast and reliable… Read more: DroneDeploy Launches Progress AI to Automate Construction Tracking

Partnerships with Pilot Institute and AIRT Bring Comprehensive Training for Drone Pilots and First Responders The Commercial UAV Expo 2025 is set to deliver an unmatched educational experience for drone professionals. This year’s event, happening September 2–4 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, brings new partnerships and expanded programming for both commercial pilots and public… Read more: Hands-On Learning, Public Safety Take Center Stage at Commercial UAV Expo 2025

Michigan-Backed Pilot Project Aims to Modernize Automotive Logistics with Aerial Delivery A New Era of Auto Parts Delivery In a step toward modernizing supply chains, a group of Michigan-based partners has launched a new drone delivery pilot. The program, led by drone company blueflite, focuses on delivering automotive parts by air to Ford dealerships in… Read more: Blueflite Drones to Deliver Auto Parts in Detroit

High-energy cells support long-endurance UAV missions for Airbus subsidiary AALTO and others Amprius Expands Drone Battery Shipments from Fremont Pilot Line Amprius Technologies, Inc. has delivered its high-energy silicon anode battery cells to several advanced drone and UAV manufacturers, including Airbus subsidiary AALTO. The shipments mark a major milestone in the company’s scale-up efforts to meet… Read more: Amprius Delivers Next-Gen SiCore® Batteries to Leading Drone Manufacturers

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

Group deploys drones to search for victims in Texas Hill Country flood By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill The deadly Independence Day floods, which deluged a wide swath of the Central Texas Hill County, triggered a robust response from drone operators in the volunteer sector, who lent their UAVs to aid in recovery efforts and… Read more: Drones Join the Front Lines in Deadly Texas Flood Response

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

New solution enables safe and scalable drone operations for commercial and government sites High Lander Aviation has introduced Vega HighSite, a localized airspace management suite designed for commercial organizations and governmental authorities. This new platform allows safe, compliant drone operations in defined areas—without the delays often associated with large-scale aviation oversight. The company, known for… Read more: High Lander Launches Vega HighSite for Local Airspace Management

Next-gen reconstruction tech delivers faster, more accurate 3D modeling for large-scale and complex environments DJI Terra: A Powerful Tool for Aerial Data Processing DJI has expanded the capabilities of its Terra 3D modeling software with new reconstruction technologies, including 3D Gaussian Splatting. DJI Terra is designed to create accurate and detailed 2D and 3D models… Read more: DJI Terra 3D Modeling Software Now with 3D Gaussian Splatting – What’s That?

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”

New investment supports the company’s expansion into defense and NATO-aligned markets Strategic Investment to Accelerate Defense Expansion Odense, Denmark-based Quadsat has announced a €5 million extension to its Series A funding round. The new investment is led by Join Capital and North Ventures, with continued support from Seraphim Space Capital, the Export and Investment Fund… Read more: Quadsat Raises €5 Million to Advance Electronic Warfare Capabilities

Chinese drone maker says that a rushed evaluation may lead to unfair outcomes DJI, the world’s largest commercial drone manufacturer, has expressed strong concerns about a recent request from U.S. lawmakers calling for an accelerated national security review of Chinese-manufactured drones. In a blog post titled “Don’t Ground Innovation: The Real-World Cost of Banning DJI… Read more: DJI Raises Concerns Over Expedited Security Review

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 program addresses urgent training needs revealed by recent survey DRONERESPONDERS Announces New National Training Program AIRT, the non-profit organization behind the DRONERESPONDERS program, has announced a new initiative to improve drone training for public safety agencies across the country. The UAS National Initiative for Training and Education (UNITE) is designed to address critical gaps… Read more: DRONERESPONDERS Launches UNITE to Strengthen Public Safety Drone Training Nationwide

Percepto launches AI solution to analyze vast troves of emissions data By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill Percepto, which has been combining the use of drones and artificial intelligence (AI) technology to collect and analyze methane emissions being released in some of the most prolific oilfields in the world, recently released a new AI product… Read more: Percepto’s New Solution Delivers Real-Time Emissions Insights at Scale

The ASSURE A50 “Small UAS Traffic Analysis” report is a large-scale look at real-world drone activity captured through Remote ID sensors across the United States. Conducted by researchers at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Kansas State and Wichita State in partnership with the FAA’s Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE), this groundbreaking study… Read more: Three Take-Aways From the FAA’s Assure A50 sUAS Traffic Analysis Study

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