DRONELIFE

From World Cup airspace restrictions to critical infrastructure rulemaking, several federal initiatives could shape the drone industry in the months ahead. Much of the drone industry’s attention remains focused on Chinese drone restrictions, supply chain policy, and the long-awaited Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) rule. But several federal initiatives are quietly moving forward this […] The p…

Survey open to all actors in the global drone market ecosystem — manufacturers, operators, investors, associations, regulators, and service providers Drone Industry Insights (DII), the leading research and intelligence provider for the global drone market, today officially opens the 9th edition of the Global Drone Survey. It is the world’s largest annual data-collection initiative for […] The pos…

Prohibiting Adversarial Patents Act would make certain patents unenforceable while leaving ownership intact A newly introduced bill in Congress concerning “adversarial patents” could extend U.S. scrutiny of certain foreign technology companies into a new area: intellectual property rights. The Prohibiting Adversarial Patents Act of 2026 (PAPA), introduced by Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI) and co-sp…

By Dronelife Features Editor Jim Magill Federal officials on Monday urged drone operators to stay away from Lumen Field, which will be temporarily named Seattle Stadium, as it serves as the site of six FIFA World Cup 2026 matches, over the next several weeks. “We’re putting the word out there to recreational drone users that […] The post Seattle Stadium “No-Drone Zone” During FIFA Matches appeare…

The Australian geospatial firm is using Correlator3D to generate orthomosaics from aerial imagery captured for wildfire prevention and land management projects. SimActive has announced that Landair Surveys is using its Correlator3D software to produce orthomosaics for planned burns mapping projects in Australia. The Montreal-based developer said the workflow is intended to deliver geospatial outp…

WingXpand will work with Verizon Frontline and emergency teams to explore new tools for disaster assessment and community resilience As severe weather events continue to affect communities across the United States, drone and autonomous aircraft technologies are gaining attention as tools to support emergency response. This week, St. Louis-based WingXpand announced its participation in the […] The…

HOVERAir has announced the UK launch of its new X1 Smart, a 99-gram self-flying camera designed to make aerial content creation easier for everyday users. The ultra-light aircraft launches from the user’s hand, follows subjects automatically, and captures hands-free video without requiring traditional piloting skills. According to the company, the launch completes HOVERAir’s UK retail […] The pos…

PDW works to develop advanced drone communications systems By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill As modern warfare increasingly relies on the use of drones for surveillance, targeting and attacks, militaries across the world are beginning to recognize the vital importance of maintaining communications links with UAVs that are operating in highly communication-contested environments. Ensuring th…

The new LeoSight AirData integration streams real-time flight data, telemetry, and operational insights from AirData directly into LeoCommand, giving dispatchers and field teams shared visibility across drone and DFR operations. LeoSight, a unified command software platform for public safety, has integrated with AirData UAV, one of the most widely deployed commercial drone operations platforms. T…

New thermal imaging module combines SXGA resolution with compact size and U.S. manufacturing Teledyne FLIR OEM has announced the Boson SX8, a new longwave infrared (LWIR) thermal camera module designed for defense, industrial, and uncrewed systems applications. According to the company, the Boson SX8 is the first NDAA-compliant, volume-production uncooled thermal camera module to combine […] The …

Bipartisan legislation aims to reduce dependence on China for a critical component inside drone motors A new bipartisan bill introduced in Congress aims to strengthen America’s domestic magnet supply chain, drawing attention to an often-overlooked challenge for the drone industry: the permanent magnets that power electric motors. Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Ranking Member Ro […] The post T…

Giulliani lauds ‘Herculean’ effort to build counter-UAS systems By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill (Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of reports on efforts to establish new counter-UAS protocols in the U.S. to protect high-profile sporting events and critical infrastructure from the potential threats posed by drones flown by careless or hostile […] The post DRONELIFE Exclusive In…

A new integration streams Blackline Safety’s connected gas data from the Spot quadruped to Blackline Live, layering robotic atmospheric awareness on top of MFE’s existing drone-based gas detection products. MFE Inspection Solutions has launched a robotic gas detection solution that connects Blackline Safety’s cloud-connected portable detector to the Boston Dynamics Spot quadruped. The Houston com…

The partners named Memphis, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Salt Lake City as the next cities to join the nation’s largest drone delivery network. Wing and Walmart have confirmed seven new major metro areas as part of their ongoing rollout of the largest drone delivery network in the United […] The post Wing and Walmart Add Seven New Drone Delivery M…

VEX AIR receives conditional approval through December 2026 as federal agencies continue evaluating individual UAS outside broad Covered List restrictions The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced another conditional exemption from its Covered List restrictions, adding the VEX AIR uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) to a growing roster of drone products that have been individually revi…

Proposed acquisition reflects broader industry shift toward U.S.-based drone manufacturing and vertically integrated supply chains Quantum Cyber (NASDAQ:QUCY) has signed a letter of intent (LOI) to acquire a 43,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Bridgeport, Connecticut, as the company continues its push toward domestic drone production and vertically integrated manufacturing. According to …

As Washington pushes for secure drone supply chains, a growing number of U.S.-Ukraine partnerships suggest a new model may already be taking shape. Recent reports indicate that Ukraine is awaiting White House approval for a major drone production agreement with the United States. According to statements by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the proposed arrangement would […] The post What Co…

(Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of reports on efforts to establish new counter-UAS protocols in the U.S. to protect high-profile sporting events and critical infrastructure from the potential threats posed by drones flown by careless or hostile actors.) Following a year of legislative, legal and physical preparation, federal security officials, supported […] The post FBI, DHS Take …

The drone fleet management company will supply the software layer for autonomous aerial patrols at Israel’s 150 MW Ta’anakh site, working under G1 Group with Cando Drones as operator. High Lander, a global provider of drone fleet management and Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) software, has signed an agreement with Israel’s Ministry of Energy to support […] The post Autonomous Drone Security Tak…

This article published in collaboration with JUIDA, the Japan UAS Industrial Development Association.     Robodex and Tokyu Land Corporation are opening a fixed hydrogen drone port on the Seto Inland Sea coast to link Hiroshima’s mainland with Osakikamijima and surrounding islands. Robodex and Tokyu Land Corporation have partnered to install Japan’s first permanent hydrogen drone port […] The pos…