Raytheon Technologies‘ intelligence and space business will use its software-defined active electronically scanned array radar to enable integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the National Airspace System through a test program. The company said Tuesday it received a contract for the development of a supplemental data service provider test initiative aimed at advancing beyond visual […] More

Kratos Defense and Security Solutions has completed the test flight of its new tactical drone system at the company’s recently approved Burns Flat Range facility in Oklahoma to demonstrate new mission capabilities. The Air Wolf tactical drone carrying an artificial intelligence/autonomy system and other payloads marked the inaugural flight at the company’s latest asset designed […] More

Adam Robertson, co-founder and chief technology officer of Fortem Technologies, was added to the Aviation Rulemaking Committee of the Federal Aviation Administration to focus on ARC’s unmanned aircraft systems beyond visual line-of-sight operations. The company said Thursday Robertson and other committee members will provide industry insight to inform the agency’s creation of new regulations for […] More

Boeing and the U.S. Navy have completed an air-to-air fuel transfer mission that demonstrated the capability of a company-built unmanned aircraft system to conduct aerial refueling in support of another aircraft, and marked the first time such activity was performed. The demonstration involved the Boeing-owned MQ-25 T1 test asset and a U.S. Navy F/A-18 fighter […] More

Airspace Link, a Detroit-based drone integration service provider, has secured $10 million in a recently concluded round of Series A financing led by early-stage investor Altos Ventures. Thales, a global company offering air traffic management systems, also participated in the funding round, Airspace Link said Thursday. Dillon Krasnigor, investment team member at Altos Ventures, said […] More

UAvionix, an autonomous technology provider backed by Airbus' venture capital arm, has received certification from the Federal Aviation Administration for an unmanned aircraft system communications technology product. The ping200x technology became the world's first drone transponder approved for FAA TSO performance standard compliance, Airbus Ventures said Tuesday.

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Daniel Elwell, former deputy administrator at the Federal Aviation Administration, has retained his seat on Dedrone's advisory board. Elwell will help Dedrone develop strategies for the defense and aviation markets and provide counsel on regulatory affairs, the company said Tuesday.

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Leidos' Dynetics subsidiary has awarded Ascent AeroSystems a follow-on order to manufacture and deliver unmanned aerial systems designed to operate within austere environments. The Spirit UAS has a cylindrical configuration and features a dual payload mount system to allow the integration of various operating concepts such as perch-and-stare capabilities, Ascent said Monday.

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Esri has partnered with Airspace Link to implement new situational awareness features into the former's end-to-end cloud-based drone mapping software tool. The new integration for the Site Scan for ArcGIS flight planner tool is designed to display data associated with a specified area including information on no-flight zones, special activities and controlled airspaces, Esri said Friday.

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General Atomics' aeronautical systems business has received the Federal Aviation Administration's approval to test a second Avenger Extended Range unmanned aircraft system in U.S. national airspace. The company said Wednesday it will use the FAA-granted experimental certificate to expand Avenger ER's testing activities for internal research and development, as well as contracted efforts.

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D-Fend Solutions added new clients and tripled base capacity for its counter-small unmanned aircraft system platform during 2020.

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The U.S. Army has asked industry for information on supply drone concepts as part of the Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply System program. A notice published Thursday on the beta SAM website says the service is seeking a first unit equipped supply drone that could demonstrate operational capability at technology readiness level 6, could be ready for use by 2026 and could comply with regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration and the International Civil Aviation Organization.

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