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A team of Department of Defense drone operators and experts test the technical capabilities of various Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) during a Defense Innovation Unit led prize challenge to identify platforms, components, and capabilities for Blue UAS, which clears and validates flying platforms are safe to fly, cyber-secure, and meet DOD requirements, at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, on Nov. 2-6, 2024. The Blue UAS Refresh Challenge included more than 35 platforms and companies, and an expert team of 40 military drone end-users with participation from each service branch and several major program offices in support of the Department’s ability to quickly scale and field commercially produced drone technologies for military and government use. (DOD photo by Devon Bistarkey, Defense Innovation Unit)
Air, Business News, Military

Blue UAS Moves Out of DIU to DCMA, New Portal Launches

By Inside Unmanned Systems

The new Blue List UAS portal marks the formal handoff of the Pentagon’s trusted drone list from DIU to DCMA,…

U.S. Marines with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, prepare to land a quadcopter drone for a night drone operation and spotting training event during exercise Active Shield 26 at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 22, 2025. Active Shield highlights the enduring partnership between MCAS Iwakuni and JGSDF by training together, strengthening bilateral readiness, interoperability and rapid response. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Siwan Lewis)
Air, Cyber

CISA Rolls Out New UAS Security Guides for Critical Infrastructure Operators

By Inside Unmanned Systems

New “Be Air Aware” resources tie drones directly into cyber and incident-response planning. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)…

The Joint C-sUAS (Counter small Unmanned Aircraft System) University (JCU) at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, kicked off this week with its inaugural two-week C-sUAS Operators Course. Over 20 students, including Soldiers from the US Army, US Air Force, and US Navy participated in the MOS agnostic, Non-Branch/Service specific course. The C-sUAS Operators Course focuses on the operations of the Joint C-sUAS Office (JCO) evaluated C-sUAS systems which includes the Drone Buster (pictured). "The establishment of the Joint C-sUAS University and its mission will prepare Soldiers and leaders, improve readiness, and aid in modernizing the force of 2030 to prepare for Large Scale Combat Operations," said Lt. Col. Moseph Sauda, Joint C-sUAS University Director. Upon completion, operators will deter the UAS threat via passive air defense measures; detect the UAS threat via visual/audible identification and C-sUAS equipment sets; report UAS threats via applicable policies and procedures; and defeat the UAS threat via kinetic and non-kinetic means. The course ends with a culminating training exercise and is set to graduate at the end of October.
Air, Business News, Military

FEMA Launches $500 Million C-UAS Grant Program for State and Local Drone Defense

By Inside Unmanned Systems

When Army Secretary Dan Driscoll went on CBS’ Face the Nation this past Sunday and called drones and “flying IEDs” the “threat…

A MQ-25 Stingray sits parked in Hangar 1 on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, May 12, 2023. The MQ-25 Stingray will be the world’s first operational, carrier-based unmanned aircraft and provide aerial refueling and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities that enhance capability and versatility for the Carrier Air Wing (CVW) and Carrier Strike Group (CSG). (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Solomon Cook)
Air, Business News, Military

Report: What Unmanned Systems is America’s Military Buying in 2026? 

By Sebastien Roblin

A turbulent FY2026 landscape favors affordable, modular, and rapidly fieldable unmanned systems—especially sUAS and loitering munitions—while legacy programs face cancellations,…

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Adam Ramirezsilva, a distribution management specialist with Combat Logistics Battalion 22, Combat Logistics Regiment 27, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, observes a Tactical Resupply Vehicle 150 unmanned aircraft system during exercise UNITAS 2025 at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Sept. 17, 2025. UNITAS, which is Latin for “unity,” was conceived in 1959 and has taken place annually since first conducted in 1960. This year marks the 66th iteration of the world’s longest running annual multinational maritime exercise. The exercise trains forces in joint maritime operations that enhance tactical proficiency and increase interoperability with the presence of unmanned air, surface and submarine systems. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Franco Lewis)
Air, Military

Transforming Squad Leaders with sUAS – What Will It Take?

By David Daly

As modern battlefields shift to dispersed, tech-driven fights, squad leaders need organic sUAS—American-made, secure, and sustainable—plus updated doctrine, realistic training,…

The new SkyCarrier autonomous drone launch and recovery system from Teledyne FLIR Defense has been successfully trialed on multiple maritime vessels, including fast attack boats and rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) at speeds up to 50km/h (30mph), demonstrating its reliability in real-world conditions. Photo Courtesy of Teledyne FLIR Defense.
Air, Land, Maritime, Military

Trends: A Decisive Shift

By Renee Knight

The DoD’s new assurance frameworks move autonomy vendors from a “trust us” to a “prove it” model, focusing on the…