dronelife

AFWERX program backs new technology for emergency teams and military wildfire efforts Picogrid and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Mission Innovation X (MIx) have been awarded a $1.75 million contract through the U.S. Department of the Air Force’s innovation program, AFWERX. The goal of the project is to develop new ways to help emergency […] The post Picogrid and MIT MIx Awarded $1.75M to Support Wildfire Response appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

New Transport Canada authorization expands BVLOS drone missions in low-density areas at night Volatus Aerospace has received a major approval from Transport Canada. The company can now conduct long-distance drone operations at night across Canada. These flights can take place in low-density areas, where fewer than 1,000 people live per square kilometer, and below 400 […] The post Volatus Aerospace Approved for Nighttime Long-Distance Drone Flights Across Canada appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

New agreement with KISMEC connects certified drone operators to agriculture industry opportunities On March 25, 2025, Terra Drone Corporation announced that its Malaysian subsidiary, Terra Drone Agri, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Kumpulan Inovasi dan Sumber Manusia untuk Pendidikan (KISMEC). KISMEC is a Malaysian vocational training institution focused on workforce development. This […] The post Terra Drone Agri Partners with Malaysian Training Center to Support Drone Pilot Jobs appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

SPH Engineering removes barriers with powerful new version of its flight planning software—available to all by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian J. McNabb Riga, Latvia-based UAV software and integration services provider SPH Engineering recently announced the launch of UgCS Open, a free version of its flight planning software. Providing many of the same 3D pathing, terrain-aware […] The post UgCS Open Makes Pro Drone Planning Free and Easy appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Join us on Tuesday, April 1, at 3:00 PM EST for the next episode of the Public Safety Drone Review, a free, live event presented by DRONERESPONDERS in collaboration with DRONELIFE. This month’s guest is Steven Katz, Vice President at Flying Lion, Inc., a leader in providing Drone as First Responder (DFR) and UAS support […] The post Upcoming Public Safety Drone Review Highlights Remote Training and Real-World Operations with Flying Lion’s Steven Katz appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Small drones biggest development in combat since nuclear weapons By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill Small, first-person view (FPV) drones are rapidly becoming the most significant weapon of modern warfare, the CEO of a technology-oriented defense contractor said in an interview. Ryan Gury, CEO of Performance Drone Works (PDW), said the widespread and effective use […] The post The New King of Combat: How Small FPV Drones Are Reshaping Modern Warfare appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

New patent revealed at Avalon Airshow promises safer, space-saving vertiport infrastructure for Advanced Air Mobility, with research showing up to 250% faster energy dissipation than flat tarmac. by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian J. McNab Australian vertiport developer Skyportz recently unveiled the patent for their innovative anti-downwash and outwash drone vertipad design at the Avalon International […] The post Skyportz Unveils Anti-Downwash Vertipad Design to Shrink Urban Vertiport Footprints appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Recent Funding Rounds Highlight Growing Investor Interest in Defense-Oriented Drone Technologies The drone industry is experiencing a significant shift in funding priorities, with military and defense applications attracting substantial investments. Announced today, Israel’s SpearUAV successful funding round, led by Deep Insight venture fund, comes at a time when the global military drone market is projected […] The post Drone Industry Funding Shifts: Military Applications Take Center Stage appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Pilot project in Andhra Pradesh surveys over 1,100 hectares to monitor tree health and estimate fruit production 3F Oil Palm Pvt Ltd has completed a major drone survey in Ayyavaram Village, West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh. This pilot project marks a key step in using drone technology to support palm oil farmers across India. Over […] The post 3F Oil Palm Uses Drones to Improve Palm Plantation Yields in India appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Autel Robotics has announced updates to its Dragonfish series of drones in 2025, refining the platform to better serve industrial and professional users. The Dragonfish series, known for its tilt-rotor design and adaptability, continues to address the evolving needs of industries such as public safety, infrastructure inspection, and environmental monitoring. Streamlined Product Line and Functional […] The post Updates to the Autel Dragonfish Platform: Enhanced Features for Industrial Applications appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Czech Manufacturer Becomes First to Secure Military and Civilian Clearance for Medium-Sized UAV Primoco UAV Sets Industry Milestone Primoco UAV SE, based in Prague, has achieved a major breakthrough in the drone industry. The company announced that its One 150 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is now the first in the world to receive both NATO […] The post Primoco UAV One 150 Achieves Dual NATO and EASA Certifications appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

New partnership aims to scale production of hydrogen-powered drones and strengthen the U.S. defense supply chain A Strategic Push for U.S. Manufacturing Strength Mach Industries, a defense technology company based in Huntington Beach, California, has announced a new partnership with HevenDrones, a leading developer of hydrogen-powered drones. The companies aim to expand U.S.-based manufacturing of […] The post Mach Industries and HevenDrones Partner to Boost U.S. Drone Manufacturing appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

News and Commentary. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s recent comments have reignited hopes for long-awaited regulations enabling Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations. During a March 14 visit to Amazon’s Prime Air facility in Seattle, Duffy emphasized the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) intent to propose rules expanding drone use for deliveries and other […] The post FAA Signals Momentum for BVLOS Rulemaking: What It Means for Commercial Drone Applications appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

SwiftDecoder Software Enhances Accuracy and Efficiency in Supply Chain Management Honeywell (Nasdaq: HON) has announced that its SwiftDecoder barcode-decoding software will be integrated into Corvus Robotics’ autonomous inventory drones. This partnership aims to enhance inventory tracking and case counting in warehouses and distribution centers (DCs), improving stock visibility while reducing labor costs. Enhancing Automation in […] The post Honeywell and Corvus Robotics Partner to Automate Warehouse Inventory Tracking appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has announced significant updates to its Blue UAS List and Framework following a three-day flight demonstration challenge at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center 29 Palms. The event, held in February 2025, marks the first of what is intended to be an annual competitive event to update capabilities on the […] The post Defense Innovation Unit Expands Blue UAS List with New Platforms and Capabilities appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Flock Safety, the Atlanta-based public safety technology leader, has announced a $275 million funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz, elevating its valuation to $7.5 billion. The financing, supported by Greenoaks Capital, Bedrock Capital, and others, follows a year of rapid growth—crossing $300 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) and expanding partnerships with 4,800 law enforcement […] The post Flock Safety Secures $275M Funding, Accelerates Drone Expansion appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Correlator3D streamlines image processing for the Joint Airborne Lidar Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise, enhancing topo-bathy lidar mapping efficiency. by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian J. McNabb SimActive Inc. recently announced that their Correlator3D product was deployed by the US Army Corps of Engineers for corridor mapping. The software is used to process imagery and create […] The post US Army Corps of Engineers Deploys SimActive’s Correlator3D for Coastal Corridor Mapping appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Reusable Radiosonde Technology Aims to Reduce Environmental and Economic Costs Meteomatics, a global weather intelligence company, has announced the launch of the Meteoglider, a reusable alternative to traditional radiosondes carried by weather balloons. The announcement follows the company’s acquisition of R2Home, a firm specializing in reusable radiosonde technology. The Meteoglider provides a sustainable and cost-effective […] The post Meteomatics Introduces Meteoglider: A Sustainable Alternative to Weather Balloons appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

60 Minutes Interview on Drone Swarms Over U.S. Military Bases Reveals Critical Security Gaps A recent 60 Minutes report has shed light on a series of alarming drone swarm incidents over sensitive U.S. military installations, raising significant concerns about national security and the country’s ability to detect and respond to such threats. The investigation, which […] The post Drones in the Dark: The Unseen Threat to America’s Military Might? appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Indian AgTech Company Marut Drones Showcases How Drone Technology is Transforming Lives and Breaking Gender Barriers in Agriculture by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian J. McNabb Marut Drones, an Indian developer of agriculture-focused UAVs, recently announced that their partnership with the Indian government to train rural women to use drones had received an important visit from […] The post Bill Gates Witnesses Drone Revolution in Rural India appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

President Donald Trump has nominated Bryan Bedford, the longtime CEO of Republic Airways, to serve as the next Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). With over three decades of experience in aviation, Bedford’s nomination has been met with widespread support from industry stakeholders Industry Support AUVSI has published a statement in support of the […] The post Bryan Bedford Nominated as FAA Administrator: Industry Reacts Positively appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

As plant diseases continue to threaten global food security, AI-powered drones and advanced machine learning models are revolutionizing early detection methods, offering scalable, efficient, and accurate solutions for modern agriculture. DRONELIFE is pleased to publish this guest post from Khawla Almazrouei, a Robotics Engineer at Technology Innovation Institute. DRONELIFE neither accepts nor makes payment for […] The post AI, Drones, and the Future of Farming: A Game Changer for Plant Disease Detection and Food Security appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

An American-Made Alternative in the Sub-250g UAV Market Ascent AeroSystems, a leading U.S. manufacturer of coaxial unmanned aerial systems (UAS), has unveiled its latest innovation: HELIUS™. This sub-250g UAV, introduced at VERTICON (formerly HAI Heli-Expo) in Dallas, Texas, aims to set a new standard for durability, affordability, and capability in the lightweight drone market. Designed […] The post Ascent AeroSystems Introduces HELIUS™: A 249g Coaxial Nano UAV Designed for Durability and Performance appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

On this episode of the Drone Radio Show: Kaitlyn Albertoli, CEO and co-founder of Buzz Solutions, talks with host Randy Goers about how AI and drones are transforming traditional utility inspections and the challenges of implementing and scaling these technologies. Listen here: Kaitlyn Albertoli is CEO and co-founder of Buzz Solutions. Buzz Solutions leverages AI […] The post How AI and Drones Are Revolutionizing Utility Inspections: The Drone Radio Show appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Company uses deserted town as DFR training site By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill A police-operated drone flies along a deserted street in a small town, searching for victims of a tragic incident at a school. The UAV spots a figure lying on the ground, a young boy, and the remote operator relays the information […] The post Ghost Town: How an Abandoned Mining Town Became a Cutting-Edge Drone Training Ground appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article