Green or Blue what is in a colour?

A few lines in the sand to refer back to before I say what I really think, the Green UAS scheme in particular is going to cause real headaches and put a huge financial weight on small American vendors. With House Bill HR 2864 finally waking up the American drone commercial user community they should realise the shaping that has been going on since 2020. (for shaping read lobbying)

But let us just recap, what are these things supposed to be:-

Blue sUAS

The Blue sUAS program is a DoD initiative to rapidly vet and scale commercial unmanned aerial system (UAS) technology for the Department of Defense (DoD). The program consists of five lines of effort:

  • Blue UAS Foundry: DIU’s proven Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) process is used to rapidly prototype and scale new or existing UAS for unique government customer needs and continued iterative experimentation.
  • Blue UAS 1.0: This effort developed trusted, policy-compliant small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) for the broader DoD and Federal Government partners.
  • Blue UAS 2.0: This effort expands the variety and capabilities of DIU-vetted drones to provide DoD users with compliant, secure sUAS.
  • Blue UAS 3.0: This effort will focus on developing and fielding large UAS for the DoD.
  • Blue UAS International: This effort will work with international partners to develop and field UAS for shared missions.

The Blue sUAS program was created in response to the growing threat of Chinese drones. China is a major producer of UAS, and its drones are becoming increasingly sophisticated. In recent years, China has sold UAS to countries such as Iran and Venezuela, which have used them to attack U.S. allies. The Blue sUAS program is designed to ensure that the DoD has access to the best commercial UAS technology to counter the threat from Chinese drones.

The program has been successful in vetting and scaling commercial UAS technology for the DoD. In the program’s first year, DIU vetted and approved five sUAS systems for DoD use. These systems are now available to all DoD users, and they have been used in a variety of missions, including training, surveillance, and reconnaissance.

The Blue sUAS program is still in its early stages, but it has the potential to revolutionize the way the DoD uses UAS. By vetting and scaling commercial UAS technology, the DoD can gain access to the latest and greatest UAS technology at a fraction of the cost of developing its own UAS. This will allow the DoD to field UAS more quickly and easily, and it will give the DoD a significant advantage over its adversaries.

The threat of Chinese drones is real, but the Blue sUAS program is a step in the right direction to countering that threat. By vetting and scaling commercial UAS technology, the DoD can ensure that it has access to the best UAS technology to protect its interests.

In addition to the threat of Chinese drones, the Blue sUAS program also addresses the following challenges:

  • The need for secure and compliant UAS: The DoD must be able to trust that its UAS are secure and compliant with all applicable laws and regulations. The Blue sUAS program ensures that all vetted systems meet these requirements.
  • The need for affordable UAS: The DoD must be able to purchase and operate UAS. The Blue sUAS program ensures that all vetted systems are affordable and cost-effective.
  • The need for versatile UAS: The DoD needs UAS that can be used for a variety of missions. The Blue sUAS program ensures that all vetted systems are versatile and can be used for various purposes.

The Blue sUAS program is a critical initiative that will help the DoD to meet the challenges of the 21st century. By vetting and scaling commercial UAS technology, the DoD can ensure that it has access to the best UAS technology to protect its interests.

Green UAS

The Green UAS program is a new initiative from the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) that aims to expand the number of commercial Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) that have been verified to meet the highest levels of cybersecurity and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) supply chain requirements.

It is designed to be a more streamlined and less expensive alternative to the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)’s Blue UAS certification program. The Blue UAS program is a DoD initiative that vets and approves commercial UAS for use by the DoD. However, the Blue UAS program can be time-consuming and expensive, which can make it prohibitive for non-DoD customers.

The Green UAS program is based on the same cybersecurity and supply chain requirements as the Blue UAS program. However, the Green UAS program uses a more streamlined assessment process that is designed to be more affordable and accessible to non-DoD customers.

Here are some of the benefits of the Green UAS program:

  • More affordable: The Green UAS program is designed to be more affordable than the Blue UAS program. This is because the Green UAS program uses a more streamlined assessment process that requires less time and resources.
  • More accessible: The Green UAS program is designed to be more accessible than the Blue UAS program. This is because the Green UAS program does not require customers to have a DoD contract.
  • More secure: The Green UAS program uses the same cybersecurity and supply chain requirements as the Blue UAS program. This means that Green UAS are just as secure as Blue UAS.

Just to be clear I don’t support the Green program at all, it’s $100,000 per autopilot or other bit fee to get onto the list is madness.

We have learnt quite a bit about some Blue sUAS vendors recently, more to come.

sees.ai secures UK-first routine BVLOS permission to carry out an aerial inspection of live overhead powerline assets

Boeing-backed autonomous flight technology developer, sees.ai, becomes the first company in the UK to secure routine permission from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to fly drones Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) in non-segregated airspace, on the high voltage electricity transmission network.

This permission builds on the BVLOS permission that sees.ai received in April 2021 which allowed the company to remotely operate drones in non-segregated airspace over industrial sites. This new permission now allows routine BVLOS flights on two specific runs of National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) live overhead power lines – an interim step that will allow sees.ai to demonstrate the safety of extending this permission to NGET’s critical national infrastructure.

sees.ai is now one of only a handful of companies worldwide with routine permission to inspect the grid from BVLOS; and perhaps the only company worldwide capable of enabling close inspection, the most valuable inspection regime. sees.ai’s core tech enables drones to be flown meters from steelwork and components from BVLOS to capture a structured, internally georeferenced data set of 2D images and 3D models optimised for automated analysis using AI.

The permission achieves an important milestone in the development of an end-to-end automated inspection analysis and reporting solution for electricity grids – a project that sees.ai and NGET’s data analysis supplier, Keen AI, have been working on with NGET since mid 2021. The aim of this project is to enable NGETs in-house team to carry out close aerial inspection of overhead lines from BVLOS using sees.ai’s core tech; and then to use Keen AI’s software for condition assessment, defect resolution and reporting. This project will enable NGET (and other grid operators in time) to more efficiently and effectively determine asset conditions and develop optimal maintenance plans.

In order to ensure the safe development and deployment of their core tech, sees.ai has been working closely with the CAA Regulatory Sandbox team since 2019. Recently the company has made progress towards licensing their core-tech via this project with National Grid and a second with Marshall Futureworx; and via two UK Government Future Flight Challenge projects, in which sees.ai led consortia that included partners National Grid, BT and Network Rail.

John McKenna, CEO of sees.ai said:

“Securing permission to carry out BVLOS drone inspections of the live electricity grid is a major step forward towards our goal of enabling safe operation of drone fleets at national scale. We’re immensely proud that National Grid and the CAA trust us to deploy safely on critical infrastructure and we believe that this permission will pave the way for future advancements in the use of drones for survey and inspection of critical national infrastructure, and beyond into aerial logistics and mobility.”

Sophie O’Sullivan, Head of Future Safety and Innovation at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said:

“Everyday flying of drones beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) of their operator in the UK will be a significant step forwards in unlocking the full potential of drone technology. This progress in safely incorporating drones into the airspace so they can inspect infrastructure in this way is a key achievement and a major part of our work to support UK innovation.”

Mark Simmons, Condition Monitoring Manager at National Grid Electricity Transmission said:

‘This is a fantastic achievement for sees.ai and an important step in enabling National Grid to fully exploit the potential of drone technology for network inspections. As we work towards our net zero goals, embracing technologies like these will enable us to deliver an energy future that is clean, fair, and affordable for all.”

BlackKite sensor flies on U.S. Army Group 4 UAS at EDGE 23 demonstration event

Logos Technologies LLC, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems of America, announced today that its BlackKite IR wide-area motion imagery (WAMI) pod was, for the first time ever, successfully employed on a U.S. Army Group 4 unmanned aircraft system (UAS) during the Experimentation Demonstration Gateway Event (EDGE) 23, held at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, this past month.

The BlackKite WAMI system, which can image, track and record hundreds of targets moving across a city-sized area, was used in experimental long-range detection and identification missions during EDGE 23, with the Group 4 UAS serving as a surrogate platform for a future Air-Launched Effects (ALE) drone being pursued by the Army.

“We demonstrated how our lightweight BlackKite pod could be used in the long-range detection of enemy vehicles and air defense systems,” said Doug Rombough, VP of Business Development at Logos Technologies. “And even though the Group 4 UAS was only meant to serve as a surrogate for ALE, we also showed how our platform-agnostic BlackKite pod could work with long-endurance Group 4 UAS.”

BlackKite weighs less than 38 pounds in the podded version and can been mounted to planes, helicopters, and Group 3 (or larger) UAS. When BlackKite is placed inside an existing payload bay, it only adds 25 pounds to the platform. At an altitude of 12,000 feet, BlackKite can image a 16 square kilometer area, detecting and tracking in real time multiple moving vehicles and dismounts. It can also store greater than eight hours of recorded and geo-referenced imagery with its onboard processor.

“BlackKite can stream both live and archived imagery to users on the ground, so they have perfect situational awareness whatever the mission—be it, force protection, tactical-level persistent surveillance, route reconnaissance and overwatch, or border security,” said Rombough.

A subsidiary of Elbit Systems of America, Logos Technologies LLC specializes in advanced sensors, wide-area motion imagery, advanced analytics and the processing of large, multisource datasets. Logos serves government customers, including the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community and Department of Homeland Security, as well as a range of customers in commercial and international markets.

Advexure Unmanned Systems Awarded 4-Year Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Contract

Advexure, a 10-year veteran in the unmanned industry, has been awarded a 4-year cooperative purchasing contract in the Unmanned Vehicle Systems category at Sourcewell.

Over the last ten years, Advexure has established itself as a leading dealer, distributor, and solutions provider to the unmanned technology industry. Through it all, they’ve committed to providing the best possible personalized drone-buying experience.

Working closely with public safety agencies, public utilities, educational and research institutions, and other government entities, Advexure has recognized that the bidding and purchasing process for government procurement can be lengthy and inconvenient for their customers. Sourcewell streamlines this process for purchasing agents and provides easy access to experienced and knowledgeable subject matter experts, is compliant with legal requirements, and in many cases, offers discounted equipment from high-value manufacturers.

“We are proud to partner with Sourcewell to provide our customers with an easy, compliant, and cost-effective way to purchase drone technology that is saving lives and making work safer and more efficient. Our partner agencies depend on this technology, and through our Sourcewell award, agencies now have the ability to choose Advexure as their solutions provider; minimizing the time it takes from purchase requisition to first deployment,” said Travis Waibel, President & CEO of Advexure.

Like 600+ other suppliers and vendors across multiple verticals, Advexure underwent a rigorous request for proposal process and was awarded their Sourcewell contract having met, or exceeded, local procurement requirements.

Based on the volume of purchases from past contract awards by Sourcewell, the number of agencies expected to utilize this procurement method may reach thousands.

Early indications are that public agencies are excited about using Sourcewell to simplify and accelerate the process with Advexure. One public safety aviation unit program manager in Texas commented, “The Sourcewell contract is a game changer” during their recent procurement process of UAS for their program.

Learn more about Sourcewell and its contract with Advexure at sourcewell-mn.gov.

About Sourcewell
Sourcewell is a self-sustaining government organization offering a cooperative purchasing program with hundreds of competitively solicited contracts to government, education, and nonprofit entities throughout North America. By utilizing Sourcewell contracts, participating agencies save time and money by capturing the buying power of more than 50,000+ organizations including substantially all counties in the United States.

About Advexure
Founded in 2012, Advexure Unmanned Systems is one of North America’s largest dealers, distributors, and training providers for unmanned drone systems and UAS technology solutions. Advexure specializes in drone fleet solutions for government, public safety, utilities, inspection, film, and cinema along with other enterprise verticals. The company is headquartered in Irvine, CA. Learn more about Advexure at Advexure.com, and on social media @advexure.

AAIB investigation to DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Zoom (UAS registration n/a)

During an aerial survey flight, the UAS detected a rapid loss of battery power and initiated an immediate automatic landing. Whilst descending, its flight behaviour became erratic, control was lost to the remote pilot, and the UA struck an uninvolved person before hitting the ground. It was not possible to determine a cause for the loss of battery power or the flight behaviour. There may have been an opportunity during flight control checks to consider the unexpected battery discharge rate as a reason to abort the flight.

History of the flight

The UAS was planned to fly as part of a survey to monitor progress on a construction site, to take images along the front and across the site within the property boundaries agreed with the client. Weather conditions on the day were good visibility, low winds and moderate temperature.

The flight started from a location towards the rear of the construction site, approximately 300 m from the site frontage. The remote pilot then flew the UA to approximately head‑height and completed flight control checks, where the battery indicator showed 95% but rapidly dropped to 88%. The pilot continued, manually flying the aircraft at a height of 50 – 60 m over the construction site towards a point approximately 50 m from the site frontage to record the imagery.

The pilot received a critically low–landing battery notification and the UA initiated automatic landing

The UA was observed to fly in an erratic manner, and the pilot stated he had limited lateral control available to enable him to fly it into a clear area. It came close to houses under construction and stopped responding to control inputs. The pilot described it as then “appearing to descend too fast, despite the propellers spinning”, before going out of sight behind some construction materials. The UA struck a site worker on the arm, dropped into some cement, and fell to the ground. The site worker was not injured.

u-blox announces two new high-precision GNSS positioning modules based on the successful F9 platform

The NEO-F9P enables precise navigation and automation of moving industrial machinery, while the ZED-F9P-15B offers customers in the mobile robotics market an L1/L5 alternative to L1/L2.

u-blox (SIX:UBXN), a global provider of leading positioning and wireless communication technologies and services, has announced two new modules based on the u-blox F9 high-precision GNSS platform. The low-power NEO-F9P supports precise navigation and automation of moving industrial machinery, and the ZED-F9P-15B provides customers in the mobile robotics market with an L1/L5 option in addition to the L1/L2 bands.

The new u-blox NEO-F9P GNSS module features include concurrent reception of GPS, Galileo, and BeiDou, multi-band L1/L5 RTK, short convergence times, and reliable performance. The module delivers centimeter-level accuracy in seconds and comes in the smallest ever high-precision module form factor – 50% smaller than the regular u-blox ZED form factor. 

This small size, coupled with very low power consumption and ANN-MB1 antenna compatibility, makes the u-blox NEO-F9P ideally suited for a wide range of use cases, including precise navigation and automation in smart antennas, UAVs, and mobile robotics. Offering reliable and efficient positioning, the module supports open as well as standards-based correction services for enhanced performance, such as the u-blox PointPerfect GNSS augmentation service.

“With the NEO-F9P and the ZED-F9P-15B, u-blox is responding to the increased requirement for precise navigation and automation in industrial applications, particularly in the UAV and mobile robotics sectors,” says Alex Ngi, Product Manager, Industrial Navigation and Robotics, Product Center Positioning at u-blox. “By delivering centimeter-level accuracy in a compact and energy-efficient module, the NEO-F9P, u-blox proven RTK engine, is ideal for space-constrained designs. It is now available in the NEO form factor, along with the L1/L5 option. The NEO-F9P offers customers an effective upgrade path from the u-blox NEO-M8P model. At the same time, the ZED-F9P-15B provides existing ZED customers with an L1/L5 alternative to L1/L2.”

About u‑blox

u‑blox (SIX:UBXN) is a global technology leader in positioning and wireless communication in automotive, industrial, and consumer markets. Their smart and reliable solutions, services and products let people, vehicles, and machines determine their precise position and communicate wirelessly over cellular and short range networks. With a broad portfolio of chips, modules, and secure data services and connectivity, u‑blox is uniquely positioned to empower its customers to develop innovative and reliable solutions for the Internet of Things, quickly and cost‑effectively. With headquarters in Thalwil, Switzerland, the company is globally present with offices in Europe, Asia, and the USA. (www.u‑blox.com)

Test and Prove – Experience the Power of Autel Robotics: Trial the EVO Max 4T and the EVO II V3 Series to Transform Your Workflows

Autel Robotics invites businesses in the Continental USA to participate in our Proof of Concept program, aimed at enabling commercial drone operations. Drones have revolutionized the way organizations operate, providing substantial time and cost savings while enhancing safety. We are proud to introduce two game-changing drone platforms that can revolutionize your company’s everyday operations, the EVO Max 4T and the EVO II V3 Series. Whether you’re new to drones or looking to upgrade your existing fleet, we offer you the exclusive opportunity to test our latest products free of charge.

Unleash the Potential Across Various Industries

The possibilities are limitless for industries such as Construction, Utilities and Infrastructure, Mining, Fire and Rescue, Law Enforcement, and many more. By embracing Autel Robotics’ latest technology, your business can transform the way it operates and achieves its goals.

Now is the Perfect Time to Prove Your Drone Program

At Autel Robotics, we want enterprise organizations to witness firsthand how our solutions are redefining industries. For a limited time, qualifying departments can receive an EVO Max 4T, and/or an EVO II V3 Series for a three-week proof-of-concept period. This opportunity allows you to experience the full potential of these exceptional enterprise platforms to use in real-world scenarios and missions that reflect your everyday operations.

Don’t miss out on the chance to revolutionize your workflows and see the impact our drones can have on your organization. Contact us today to participate in the Proof of Concept program to see the future of your drone operations.

This program is for continental USA-based Organizations, with a pilot who has a Part 107 license.  Read the full list of qualifications here. 

About the Products

EVO Max 4T

The EVO Max 4T brings powerful technologies and advanced autonomy to users. EVO Max 4T assesses complex environments to create real-time 3D flight paths for unparalleled obstacle avoidance. Advanced sensors make flight in GPS-denied areas possible and the incredible new thermal payload unlocks new object identification and tracking options.  With a foldable, weather-resistant design, the EVO Max 4T is as portable as it is capable. 

  • 720º Obstacle Avoidance – No Blind Spots 
  • Hot swappable batteries
  • Laser range finder, thermal, zoom, wide angle payloads 
  • 12.4 Mile Transmission range
  • IP43 weather rating

EVO II Series V3

Our flagship series is upgraded with increased range and better imaging capabilities. The EVO II Series has proven itself nationwide and with the V3 series, key capabilities are enhanced. 

  • 43-minute flight time 
  • High wind resistance 
  • Thermal and optical payloads
  • RYYB image filter – 40% brighter images in low light conditions
  • Compatible with photogrammetry software

Now’s your chance to experience the full potential of the EVO Max 4T and  the EVO II V3 and show its capability to your other departments, teams, and leaders. 

Fill out the form to apply for this limited-time, limited-quantity opportunity and we’ll follow-up soon! 

Action needed within next year for UK to catch up in drone economy race, new report shows 

Mobile industry insights, forecast and research specialist GSMA Intelligence have today launched a new report revealing that the UK is falling behind other global players in the race for drone innovation. The report, commissioned by BT Group, outlines how the UK must learn from international peers and lays out recommendations which could help guarantee the UK is a leader in the drone economy if acted on within the next year.   

The research, supported by BT Group, found that many of the UK’s international partners, including Japan, Switzerland, France, Germany and Italy have seen their drone ecosystems develop faster due to established regulatory systems and infrastructure. The UK currently sits at the middle ‘drone readiness’ index, with Switzerland taking the leading position and the US at the bottom of the table reflecting slower progress in drone regulatory rules.  

With drones potentially contributing £45 billion to the UK economy and supporting 650,000 jobs by 2030, following the report’s recommendations has transformative potential for both the public and private sectors.  

A separate poll for BT Group* found that 75% of consumers believe that it is essential for drones to be used for public service delivery, and two-thirds agree that drones could have a positive impact on their lives. In this context, the UK now has a window of as little as 12 months to facilitate greater investment and technological development, or risk falling behind.   

To increase drone readiness in the UK and win the race to the top, the report outlines four key recommendations for the UK government, the UK aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), and other relevant agencies: 

  • Facilitating permissions for safe, remotely piloted drone flights at scale: Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone capability underpins a successful drone industry and its applications. Although the UK has a BVLOS policy, it was found to be confusing and unclear among the raft of companies and start-ups testing or seeking deployment of their services at scale. The implementation guidelines need to be simplified and modernised. And a supporting regulatory framework that includes Unmanned Aircraft Traffic System Management (UTM), safety standards and training – must be a priority.  
  • Enforce pro-innovation regulations and a pro-growth regulatory culture: The (CAA) must formulate workable regulations that promote investment in a timely manner, while ensuring safe operations and delivering public confidence in the industry.  
  • Extend the Future Flight Challenge: The UK has many innovative companies in the drone sector that need a say in regulatory development. The flagship Future Flight Challenge, which the government has funded, has been a clear help and stimulus to private sector innovation and so this, or a related scheme, should be extended.  
  • Act now: The UK has a window that is as narrow as 12 months to set the regulations and guidance that will help the sector thrive. The study found that many advanced economies expect drone regulations to be in place by 2024–2025, a date that the UK must also meet to remain competitive in developing home-grown technology for domestic use and in export markets.  

BT Group’s research also reveals that there is strong consumer demand for drone capabilities from a wide range of industries such as utilities, public services, manufacturing, last-mile logistics and distribution, conservation and land/forestry management, film and TV sectors.    

BT Group’s startup incubation hub, Etc., has already made significant steps in unlocking the potential of drones. Earlier this year, Etc. announced a landmark partnership with UTM specialist Altitude Angel, a partnership that will help enable Etc. to become a one-stop shop for UK drone enablement capabilities. Actioning the report’s recommendations could play a key role in bringing to market further opportunities that drone technology has to offer the public and private sector – from supporting the police to rapid transport of blood samples and delivery of items cheaper and faster than ever before.  

Dave Pankhurst, Director of Drones, Etc. at BT Group said, “Across the globe, the drone industry is being rapidly unlocked. Tapping into this can transform the world of business, the delivery of public services, and the prospects for the UK economy.  

“BT Group is leading from the front. Our mobile network, as the largest and most reliable in the UK, could be critical. From improving flight control; assisting with authentication and authorisation; facilitating data transmission; and enabling cellular communication, 4G and 5G technology can be the backbone of the industry.  

“At Etc., we have reached some significant landmarks already, but with these new recommendations, we hope to rally the support of the government and industry regulators for the UK drone industry to reach its full potential.”  

Tim Hatt, Head of Consulting, GSMA Intelligence, adds “There is no question drones will be a key part of successful digital economies. The technology side of development is happening at pace across the board. The issue now is having regulatory systems that enable commercial expansion at scale. The challenge for the UK is that, despite huge progress in drone development, regulation has not kept pace and the country therefore scores only 62 out of 100 on overall market readiness, placing it behind European peers and others such as Japan.  

“This need not be the case. Beyond the hive of activity happening in the drone sector, UK mobile network infrastructure and service development are advancing; 4G and 5G mobile coverage now reach 99% and 63% of the population respectively. Taking action on these recommendations would go a long way to helping the government’s ambitions to make the UK a technological leader in the 5G era, providing a boost to GDP, jobs and international competitiveness”.  

*The consumer research was conducted using Yonder’sonline omnibus among a nationally representative sample of 2,092 UK adults between 29 and 30 March 2023. 

As the start-up incubation team within BT Group’s Digital unit, Etc. is boosting the businesses of the future and driving solutions in existing and emerging categories including drones, healthtech, and fintech and beyond.    

About BT Group   

BT Group is the UK’s leading provider of fixed and mobile telecommunications and related secure digital products, solutions and services. We also provide managed telecommunications, security and network and IT infrastructure services to customers across 180 countries.  

BT Group consists of three customer-facing units: Consumer serves individuals and families in the UK; Business* covers companies and public services in the UK and internationally; Openreach is an independently governed, wholly owned subsidiary wholesaling fixed access infrastructure services to its customers – over 650 communication providers across the UK.  

British Telecommunications plc is a wholly owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange.  

For more information, visit www.bt.com/about.   

*Business was formed on 1 January 2023 from the combination of the former Enterprise and Global units.  It commenced reporting as a single unit from 1 April 2023, with pro forma reporting information to be produced ahead of BT Group’s Q1 FY24 results.  

For more information, visit www.bt.com/about.   

About GSMA Intelligence 

GSMA Intelligence is the definitive source of global mobile operator data, analysis and forecasts, and publisher of authoritative industry reports and research. Our data covers every operator group, network and MVNO in every country worldwide – from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. It is the most accurate and complete set of industry metrics available, comprising tens of millions of individual data points, updated daily.  

GSMA Intelligence is relied on by leading operators, vendors, regulators, financial institutions and third-party industry players, to support strategic decision-making and long-term investment planning. The data is used as an industry reference point and is frequently cited by the media and by the industry itself.  

Our team of analysts and experts produce regular thought-leading research reports across a range of industry topics.  

www.gsmaintelligence.com   

[email protected]  

Drone Readiness Index Methodology  

To follow an evidence-based approach, GSMA Intelligence constructed an index that is split into two broad parts: one on regulatory status and the other on a range of market indicators that collectively assess economic strength, telecoms sector readiness, and enterprise demand (i.e. from companies and organisations most likely to use drones as part of their operations).  

Each metric has been assigned a weighting factor, which corresponds to the relative level of importance a metric has on the overall index score; the higher the weight, the higher the importance.   

Weightings have been determined through a combination of research, data analysis and industry conversations about which indicators have the largest bearing on the drone market.                                                                 

Quantum-Systems Inc. Selected for United States Department of Defense APFIT Program

Quantum-Systems Inc., a leader in electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aerial intelligence solutions, today announced its inclusion in the second set of projects to receive funding for the United States Department of Defense (DOD) pilot program to Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT).

The announcement comes after the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)) published an official release outlining the 11 DoD program offices that will receive FY23 APFIT funding, with U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) awarding Quantum-Systems Inc. $20 million.

“We are honoured by DoD’s decision to allocate FY23 APFIT funds to accelerate procurement of our Vector fixed-wing, eVTOL unmanned aircraft system. This will allow us to increase manufacturing capabilities and get our mission-critical technology into the hands of more warfighters sooner, ” said David Sharpin, CEO of Quantum-Systems Inc.

Established by Congress in the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, APFIT is a competitive, merit-based program with the goal of helping companies to expeditiously transition and field technologies.

For more information on Quantum-Systems Inc.’s Vector fixed-wing eVTOL small UAS, visit www.quantumdrones.com

ABOUT QUANTUM-SYSTEMS INC.

Quantum-Systems Inc. specializes in the development, design, and production of fully autonomous small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS). Headquartered in Moorpark, CA, Quantum-Systems Inc. has combined electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL), automatic transitioning and AI edge computing capabilities to create a portfolio of sUAS with best-in-class endurance and reliability, and uncompromised actionable intelligence.

Skydio Secures Nationwide BVLOS Approval for Remote Drone Operations In Japan

Skydio, the leading U.S. drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight, today announced the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) has granted Skydio an unprecedented, nationwide approval to remotely fly drones beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). Representing one of the most advanced regulatory approvals in the world, the approval enables streamlined BVLOS operations using Skydio Dock and Remote Ops. Whether a customer is monitoring complex infrastructure, inspecting a security perimeter, or assessing a site following a natural disaster — Skydio’s AI and autonomous technology allows drones to safely fly missions in close proximity to structures in a way that would be difficult or impossible with manual drones, even when operated remotely without a pilot on-site. 

Under the JCAB approval, there is no requirement to use additional crew members (such as visual observers) or technology to detect crewed aircraft, eliminating some of the greatest challenges faced by drone operators. The approval is not location or time specific; it applies across Japan, with limited exceptions. Notification of the flight area is required prior to takeoff using JCAB’s web portal. Operators can now remotely inspect critical infrastructure—buildings, roads, power plants and the scenes of natural disasters—safely and quickly without placing people at risk. 

“This waiver represents a landmark moment for the drone industry, and is a reflection of regulators responding to the advances in AI and autonomy that are already defining the next chapter in drones and delivering enormous value for organizations,” said Adam Bry, CEO at Skydio. “With Skydio Dock and Remote Ops, organizations gain access to real-time data to make decisions that keep their workers safe, make their operations more efficient, and help their communities thrive. Autonomous remote drone operations enable inspections of hard-to-reach and dangerous areas from the safety of an office.”

The approval demonstrates Skydio’s commitment to supporting our customers, providing best-in-class products that unlock new use cases coupled with unique regulatory approvals driving unprecedented levels of value. 

About Skydio

Skydio is the leading U.S. drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight. Skydio leverages breakthrough AI to create the world’s most intelligent flying machines for use by consumer, enterprise, and government customers. Founded in 2014, Skydio is made up of leading experts in AI, robotics, cameras, and electric vehicles from top companies, research labs, and universities from around the world. Skydio designs, assembles, and supports its products in the U.S. from its headquarters in San Mateo, CA, to offer the highest standards of supply chain and manufacturing security. Skydio is trusted by leading enterprises across a wide range of industry sectors and is backed by top investors and strategic partners including Andreessen Horowitz, Levitate Capital, Next47, IVP, Playground, and NVIDIA.