Red Cat Holdings, a provider of drone technology, has announced its plans to acquire FlightWave Aerospace Systems. This acquisition aims to expand Red Cat’s unmanned aerial system (UAS) offerings, particularly enhancing its capabilities in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations.

FlightWave Aerospace Systems, known for its Edge 130 Blue military-grade tricopter, will bring advanced long-range inspection, mapping, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities to Red Cat’s portfolio. This addition is expected to complement Red Cat’s existing Teal drone systems, providing extended range, endurance, additional payloads, and maritime capabilities, thereby meeting the requirements of the Department of Defense’s Replicator Initiative.

Jeff Thompson, CEO of Red Cat, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, highlighting the strategic benefits of incorporating the Edge 130. “The Edge 130 will significantly enhance our ISR capabilities, positioning us to better meet the diverse needs of our defense and commercial clients,” Thompson stated.

Trent Lukaczyk, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of FlightWave, emphasized the technical advancements of the Edge 130. “The Edge 130 is designed for long-range aerial autonomy, capable of performing beyond visual line of sight missions with exceptional accuracy,” Lukaczyk noted.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Red Cat Holdings, headquartered in Puerto Rico, previously acquired Teal Drones in September 2021. Teal Drones specializes in the Teal 2 system, a man-portable small-UAS designed to support defense, civilian, and public safety operations for both domestic and international clients.