Big Contracts, Big Partnerships, and Big Product Launches!
BLOS Update Week 41: 7 Oct - 13 Oct
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49 stories covered in this week’s newsletter. Read on!
Defence & Security
Ukraine – Russia
A Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik drone (Russia’s loyal wingman) malfunctioned and was shot down by its Su-57 escort to prevent it from falling into Ukrainian hands. Meanwhile, President Putin opened a drone training college in Moscow, aiming to train 3,000 students annually in UAV production, and an investigation revealed that African women have been duped into working at one of their UAV production sites, raising concerns over human trafficking and unethical labour practices. Russia also banned Discord, hindering drone operations, raising concerns among military analysts.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy announced the country’s capability to produce 4 million drones annually, with 1.5 million contracted, and Netherlands has also pledged €400 million to develop drones for Ukraine and delivered F-16 jets to support its defence. Ukraine is also testing an auto-targeting system for FPV drones to improve strike precision during electronic warfare.
Israel – Palestine
In recent combat missions in Gaza, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have deployed teams of drones that work together autonomously. A single operator can control multiple drones of various types, coordinating them to complete complex tasks like reconnaissance and targeting.
Elsewhere in the World
North Korea accused South Korea of flying drones to distribute anti-regime leaflets over Pyongyang, Myanmar's military is increasing drone use, combining commercial models with military munitions for strikes against rebels and civilians, and Patria has received Finnish government approval to acquire Nordic Drones Oy and an open-source data product from WithSecure, with full integration by October 2024.
Capability and Tech development Trials and Exercises
At Northern Strike 24, the U.S. military showcased 3D-printed drones and modular sensors, with a field-made drone successfully delivering medical supplies during a combat simulation.
Skydweller Aero completed the first unmanned flight of a large-scale solar-powered aircraft in the U.S., demonstrating long-endurance capabilities for defense and commercial use.
It was published that in December 2022, unidentified drones swarmed Langley Air Force Base for 17 nights, leading to canceled missions and heightened concerns over restricted airspace security.
Contracts and Partnerships
The U.S. and Taiwan are enhancing their drone collaboration, aiming to establish a supply chain independent of Chinese components, with Taiwan targeting 15,000 drones monthly by 2028.
Anduril Industries secured a $250 million contract to deliver over 500 Roadrunner-Ms and Pulsar electronic warfare systems to the Department of Defense, addressing UAS threats.
MARSS completed a $4 million installation of its NiDAR C-UAS system on a superyacht.
Bluelight (Emergency Services)
Thermal imaging drones are proving life-saving — in Spokane, Washington, police successfully used a drone to rescue a missing woman with night blindness, while in Chester County, Pennsylvania, it was used to capture a murder suspect.
Commercial
Contracts and Partnerships
Red Cat and Palladyne AI have partnered to integrate artificial intelligence into Teal drones, enabling autonomous operations.
Parkin and Skyports have partnered to develop air taxi infrastructure in Dubai to create vertiports, specialised hubs for electric air taxis, integrated with Parkin’s extensive parking network.
Axon’s acquisition of Dedrone is now complete, allowing Axon’s platform to manage unauthorized drone activity and improve drone-based emergency responses, including flying drones beyond visual lines of sight.
The Bharat Drone Association has been named the technology partner for the Amaravati Drone Summit 2024, which is set for October 22-23, 2024, in Andhra Pradesh.
Development & Trials
UK’s Marks & Spencer recently conducted its first autonomous field trial aimed at reducing carbon emissions by using AI-driven technology to manage farming operations more efficiently, cutting fuel consumption and emissions.
Private Investment
Corvus Robotics has secured $18 million in funding to enhance its drone-based warehouse inventory management system.
Product Launches
New Technology Announcements
NTT Corporation has developed AI-driven drones to inspect corrosion in steel bridges, reducing costs and improving accuracy by assessing hard-to-reach areas.
Cyberhawk’s Visualive upgrade streamlines drone inspections with AI-powered real-time insights, improving asset management.
UAVOS introduced the SDLM-04B actuator for drones, enhancing precision and reliability.
Northrop Grumman upgraded its FAAD system with AI for faster, more efficient defenses against aerial threats.
Darkhive offers affordable, U.S.-made drones, reducing reliance on Chinese technology.
DroneUp’s new tech cuts delivery costs to $7 per package, improving speed and efficiency.
ETH Zurich developed a modular drone swarm for indoor mapping without external systems.
UVisionUSA’s system launches multiple loitering munitions, improving operational flexibility.
Teledyne FLIR's Prism AIMMGen speeds up AI model development by automating data creation.
New UAV Announcements
Ukraine deployed the Stick M12 kamikaze drone, boosting its long-range strike capabilities.
France is developing a stealth "wingman" drone for Rafale jets, targeting 2033 for operational use.
Anduril's Bolt drones offer high-speed, autonomous ISR capabilities.
Steadicopter unveiled the Golden Eagle HS, equipped with Rafael missiles for precision strikes.
Corvus Robotics launched an autonomous drone system for warehouse inventory, improving accuracy and productivity.
Aeros introduced a mobile airship delivery system, reducing traffic and emissions for faster deliveries.
Drones for Good
Dubuque County, Iowa, is using GPS-guided drones for more efficient cover crop seeding, with 75 farmers reporting positive results.
Oxford scientists developed drone-based radar tracking to monitor bee movements, aiding pollinator conservation.
A missing man’s body was found using new drone search technology in Scotland’s Highlands after a six-week search.
Mississippi State's drones are supporting FEMA's Hurricane Helene relief efforts by providing real-time flood data.
Maryland's $1.76M grant will test drone medical supply deliveries to rural areas like Smith Island.
Red Cat’s Teal 2 drones are aiding the Florida Army National Guard in Hurricane Milton recovery efforts.
Hawaiian Electric is using drones for wildfire prevention and infrastructure inspections.
Huron County, Michigan, received a $20,000 grant to equip its sheriff’s office with drones for public safety operations.
A drone survey in New Jersey may have located the "Alligator Jr." submarine prototype using magnetometer technology.
And one drones for not so good story:
Mexican cartels are jamming U.S. border drones, disrupting surveillance and aiding smuggling operations.
Until next week,
Adit