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08 May 25. The UK’s Military Aviation Authority has issued a Military Type Certificate to the Royal Air Force’s Protector RG Mk1 uncrewed aircraft, also designated the MQ-9B, certifying that it has passed a rigorous airworthiness assessment and verifying it’s safe to operate without geographic restrictions, including over populous areas. This April 29 decision was a first-of-its-kind milestone for a large, unmanned aircraft system. It’s a huge accomplishment for the UK and a technological watershed in the history of unmanned aircraft systems. GA-ASI is the first manufacturer of large, unmanned aircraft to receive an MTC based on rigorous compliance with STANAG 4671, the NATO standard for unmanned aircraft system airworthiness. Obtaining the MTC has been a goal of GA-ASI since the inception of the MQ-9B in January 2014. The company took its proven UAS platform, the MQ-9A, and added performance enhancing features while ensuring that the design was capable of meeting NATO’s STANAG 4671 Edition 2 airworthiness requirements. To meet those rigorous requirements, the aircraft incorporates numerous enhancements not found on other large UAS. These include lightning protection, fire protection, anti-icing systems and a fatigue-and-damage-tolerant building block design approach. All flight critical software was designed in compliance with the rigor of Do-178/254. Mission software is rigidly separated from flight critical software. These features not only address the aircraft’s airworthiness but also enhance its reliability and operational flexibility to levels unmatched by other UAS.
“Earning an MTC for MQ-9B was a herculean effort and a seminal achievement for our company,” said GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue. “We invested over $500 million as part of an 11-year effort to develop an unmanned aircraft that meets NATO’s rigorous airworthiness standards. This included three flight test aircraft, full component and system-level environmental testing to Do-160 and Mil-Standards (system level environmental testing at Elgin and Pax River), full scale static test airframe test to ultimate ground and flight loads, bird strike, hail protection and full-scale fatigue testing to three lifetimes (3x 40,000 notional aircraft flight hours = 120,000 hours total). Our engineers developed over 140,000 pages of detailed technical data verifying that the MQ-9B met those demanding requirements. I congratulate our team for this outstanding accomplishment, and I know our customers need this type certification, which will open civil airspace for their flight operations.”
The Royal Air Force continues to take delivery of new Protector aircraft at their home in the North of England at RAF Waddington. The UK has 10 aircraft of the 16 it has ordered.
“Achieving the award of a first in class Military Type Certificate has required years of dedication and perseverance and is a testament to the hard work of all involved. It is a privilege to be the first to be awarded an MTC for the Protector Air System,” said Gp. Capt. Neil Venables, Type Airworthiness Authority and holder of the Protector Type Certificate. MQ-9B is the world’s most advanced medium altitude, long endurance UAS. MQ-9B includes the SkyGuardian® and SeaGuardian® models as well as the Protector operated by the RAF.
In addition to the UK, GA-ASI has MQ-9B orders from Belgium, Canada, Poland, Japan Coast Guard, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Taiwan, India, and the U.S. Air Force in support of the Special Operations Command. MQ-9B has also supported various U.S. Navy exercises, including Northern Edge, Integrated Battle Problem, RIMPAC, and Group Sail.
07 May 25. Updated SKIRON-X Starts Production. Aurora Flight Sciences’ small UAS lineup has been upgraded to maximize flight performance and ease-of-use. Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing company, started production of the latest version of its SKIRON-X Group 2 uncrewed aircraft system (UAS). Now in its third generation, SKIRON-X received avionics and ground control station (GCS) upgrades, an improved nose cone design, and an optional long-range radio. These and other updates enhance user experience and flight performance for the platform. The SKIRON-X ground control station features Kutta Technologies’ Unified Ground Control Station (UGCS) software, which helps users more efficiently plan and execute missions and take advantage of SKIRON’s autonomy features. An intuitive interface and robust flight simulator simplify training and make the platform easy-to-use, even for non-specialist personnel. SKIRON’s highly capable, onboard mission computer enables implementation and integration of autonomous behaviors to support any payload or operation.
Other upgrades include:
- An improved nose cone design that allows for easier alignment of EO/IR payloads, while maintaining flexibility for quick in-field swaps and custom payload integrations.
- Extended flight time, increasing from 3.0hrs to 3.5hrs, for the battery-powered SKIRON-X.
- An available 10W radio and tracking antenna that provides a 47-mile C2 link range.
- A condensed GCS hardware package that reduces the total system footprint and simplifies GCS setup.
The fuel-cell-powered SKIRON-XLE is also now available. SKIRON-XLE includes all the latest features of SKIRON-X but is slightly longer to accommodate its hydrogen fuel cell and auxiliary battery. In 2024, SKIRON-XLE completed a successful seven-hour flight test equipped with an Intelligent Energy fuel cell, two five-liter hydrogen tanks, and a Trillium HD45 EO/IR payload. SKIRON-XLE landed at 7.0 hours with its hydrogen fuel tanks depleted and ample safety margin remaining on the battery.
“These new SKIRON aircraft deliver the longer flight times that customers are looking for while being even easier to deploy and operate,” said Jason Grzywna, senior director of products at Aurora Flight Sciences. “SKIRON-X and SKIRON-XLE represent Aurora’s commitment to continuous advancement, and I can’t wait to get these highly capable products into the hands of our customers.”
SKIRON-X combines the convenience of an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) configuration with the longer endurance of a fixed-wing design. It is compliant with U.S. FAA Part 107 and Remote ID regulations for sUAS operations, can be transported by standard truck or SUV with a two-person crew, and takes under 10 minutes to setup and launch. (Source: ASD Network)
08 May 25. Israel Aerospace to sell autonomous submarines to Greek Navy. State-run Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) (ISRAI.UL) said on Wednesday it signed a deal to sell its BlueWhale autonomous submarine system to the Greek Navy.
IAI did not disclose financial details.
BlueWhale is a large uncrewed underwater vehicle weighing 5.5 tons and can perform a wide range of covert maritime missions, including intelligence-gathering above the sea surface, submarine and underwater target detection, acoustic intelligence collection and searching for and detecting naval mines on the seabed, IAI said.
It said that the autonomous submarine can perform a significant portion of a crewed submarine’s operations for several weeks and that the system has been successfully deployed for thousands of diving hours.
As part of the partnership, the Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) will take on a role in the production and technological evolution of BlueWhale. The HAI, IAI said, will have access to IAI’s technology, with opportunities for technology transfer and active involvement in projects of substantial operational significance. (Source: Reuters)
07 May 25. Teledyne FLIR Defense Unveils Multiple Upgrades to Black Hornet 4 Nano-Drone at SOF Week. Fifty percent greater comms range and easier-to-use Android tablet with twice the battery life are some of new user-driven features on Black Hornet unmanned aerial system. Teledyne FLIR Defense, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY), has announced a number of upgrades to its Black Hornet® 4 Personal Reconnaissance System to further boost operational effectiveness for warfighters. The enhanced features are being showcased at the Special Operations Forces (SOF) Week annual conference at the Tampa Convention Center, May 6 to May 8. In development over the past year, the series of improvements include a 50% increase in Black Hornet’s radio communications range from two to three kilometers (in optimal conditions). The BH4’s new android tablet, part of the ground control station, now has up to twice the battery life, plus a battery heater for charging in cold temps. The new tablet also features improved ergonomics, making it easier to use while wearing gloves. Black Hornet 4 can operate in 25-knot winds and rain, and extensive testing was performed to validate its already rugged endurance capabilities. The drone itself is now IP-52 rated, able to withstand 7.6 mm of rain per hour while in flight, while the ground control station boasts an IP-54 rating. All of the upgrades are being rolled out immediately.
“Since its inception, our team has focused on continually improving the Black Hornet UAS to ensure maximum mission effectiveness,” said Ketil Vanebo, vice president of Unmanned Systems-Norway at Teledyne FLIR Defense. “We’ve listened to feedback from operators at the tactical edge and incorporated their needs into these latest capabilities and features. We’re proud to make them available to Black Hornet 4 users worldwide.”
Black Hornet 4 represents the next generation of lightweight nano-drones, able to provide enhanced covert situational awareness to small fighting units. Its 12-megapixel daytime camera and high-resolution thermal imager deliver crisp video and still images to the operator. At just 70 grams Black Hornet 4 can fly for over 30 minutes and more than three kilometers. Flight performance is augmented by advanced obstacle avoidance capabilities and other features. Compared to quad-rotor drones, the single rotor Black Hornet 4 UAV has an extremely low visual and audible signature, enabling it to identify threats day or night without being detected. Able to launch in less than 20 seconds and well suited for missions in GPS-denied environments, Black Hornet 4 can be used to rapidly identify targets beyond visual line-of-sight and assess weapon effects in real-time. FLIR Defense has delivered more than 33,000 Black Hornet drones to military and security forces in over 45 countries. The U.S. Army began acquiring Black Hornet systems in 2018 for its Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) program. Since then, it has placed orders under SBS and other vehicles totaling more than $300m. The award-winning Black Hornet is designed and built by Teledyne FLIR Defense in Norway. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
06 May 25. US call for low collateral C-sUAS under Replicator 2. The US Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), an organisation within the Department of Defense, announced a solicitation on 5 May for low-collateral defeat (LCD) counter small uncrewed air systems (C-sUAS). DIU’s call out to commercial suppliers comes under the Replicator 2 initiative, seeking to counter the threat posed by small uncrewed air systems (sUAS) to installations and force concentrations. C-sUAS effectors have proven time and again to be an urgent requirement. Last year, the UK was unable to fully safeguard American airbases in Britain, such as RAF Lakenheath, which hosts four squadrons of US Air Force F-35 and F-15E fighters, from sUAS. Likewise, the formidable threat of such low-cost systems buzzing several feet above the surface have left North Korean troops supporting Russian forces in Kursk so fearful that they are said to be indiscriminately downing drones – Ukrainian and Russian. In response to the sUAS threat, Replicator 2 emerged on 27 September 2024 following the success of Replicator 1, which had scaled the production of sUAS across the joint force. The US Army alone has already assigned more than 300 sUAS to its brigade combat teams. Meanwhile, the systems that the military will procure under Replicator 2 will help to minimise risk to friendly forces, civilians, and infrastructure in the homeland and abroad. (Source: army-technology.com)
07 May 25. Cyberlux Corporation (OTC: CYBL), a leader in advanced unmanned aerial systems (UAS) technology, is proud to announce the development of its new Group 1 rotary wing UAS, specifically tailored for the U.S. Special Operations community. This cutting-edge platform is engineered to carry heavier payloads for longer durations, while maintaining optimal performance in dense electronic warfare (EW) environments. Leveraging recent advancements in low-latency, anti-jam communication capabilities, Cyberlux has embedded resilient waveform technology directly into the UAS architecture. These innovations allow for reliable First Person View (FPV) operations and seamless communication in highly contested environments, supporting critical mission execution in the most complex scenarios. The newly developed heavy lift UAS platform represents the culmination of Cyberlux’s internal R&D efforts and real-world mission insights, delivering an unparalleled solution for military and defense applications that demand high performance, payload capacity, and operational flexibility.
“We are excited to introduce this advanced UAS offering to support the U.S. Special Operations community,” said Mark Schmidt, CEO of Cyberlux Corporation. “This platform represents our commitment to pushing the boundaries of unmanned aerial technology and delivering tailored solutions that meet the unique needs of our defense partners. The integrated anti-jam capabilities ensure our UAS remains operational in the most demanding environments, making it an invaluable tool for special operations missions.”
The new Group 1 rotary wing UAS by Cyberlux is now available for operational deployment and is set to enhance the capabilities of U.S. Special Operations forces with its advanced payload capacity and cutting-edge technology. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
07 May 25. Euroatlas to begin sensor trials of Greyshark AUV. Germany’s Euroatlas has successfully completed propulsion tests for its Greyshark autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and will now move on to carry out sensor trials of the equipment. Speaking to Janes at the IMDEX 2025 naval and defence exhibition in Singapore, Euroatlas’ overall project manager for the Greyshark project Niko Schmidt disclosed that these sensor trials will be carried out at sea to begin validating the various functions envisioned for the Greyshark AUV. These include mine warfare, monitoring of underwater infrastructure, intelligence gathering on vessel activities, and detection of potentially hostile underwater threats. The trials are presently scheduled to take place in May, Schmidt said. The Greyshark is an under-development AUV with a length of 6.5 m, a diameter of 1.5 m, and a weight of 3,500 kg. It currently has a depth rating of 650 m but the long-term goal is to increase this to 4,000 m. Given its non-metallic and non-pressurised hull, the Greyshark AUV is said to have a low own-sonar signature, which increases the accuracy of the various sensors that it can be fitted with. These include an electromagnetic sensor array (EMSA), a synthetic aperture sonar (SAS), a multibeam forward-looking sonar (FLS), a laser imaging and measurement system (LIMS), a multibeam echosounder (MBES), and a multispectral high-resolution underwater camera. To communicate with the operator and other units, the AUV is equipped with a telescopic antenna system with built-in military radio and an anti-jam global navigation satellite services (GNSS) system that assists the Greyshark in carrying out its autonomous sailing operations. (Source: Janes)
02 May 25. DZYNE Technologies, a leading innovator in autonomous defense solutions, announced today the delivery of multiple “Grasshopper” expendable aerial cargo glider vehicles to the U.S. Air Force. This delivery is part of a broader ongoing program to enhance contested logistics capabilities.
A Game-Changer in Contested Logistics
DZYNE Delivers New Autonomous Cargo Glider ‘Grasshopper’ to US Air Force
Designed for precision aerial logistics, Grasshopper offers a cost-effective, autonomous solution for delivering payloads in high-risk environments while minimizing operational risks for manned aircraft. Developed in response to a warfighter request for standoff cargo delivery, Grasshopper was created in collaboration with the U.S. Air Force to provide a low-cost logistics solution capable of reaching areas inaccessible to traditional aircraft.
“The delivery of Grasshopper is a testament to the success of our collaboration with the Air Force in developing an autonomous resupply solution that meets the demands of contested environments,” said Matthew McCue CEO of DZYNE Technologies. “By working closely, we were able to design and refine the Grasshopper product line into a cost-effective, high-performance aerial logistics platform. This milestone underscores the impact of this partnership, and the critical role Grasshopper will play not only in contested logistics but also in humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations, where rapid, precise, and unmanned delivery of critical supplies can save lives.”
The Grasshopper has transitioned from a research effort to a fielded capability in under 12 months due to close cooperation between the Air Force, DZYNE Technologies, and its users. This latest delivery is part of a broader initiative to modernize aerial resupply capabilities in contested environments.
“Grasshopper represents a transformative leap in autonomous resupply,” added Dr. Thomas Howell, Portfolio Lead at the Air Force Research Laboratory. “Its ability to deliver critical payloads from standoff distances while keeping our aircraft and crews out of harm’s way is a major advantage in modern operational environments.”
Expected Operational Value
- Delivering cargo from beyond enemy threat ranges into denied environments
- Supports humanitarian relief and logistics resupply missions
- Deployable from a variety of platforms
Scalable for Growing Demand
Building on the success of the short- to mid-range Grasshopper, DZYNE Technologies is actively developing a longer-range variant, expected to be available in early 2026, to further enhance autonomous logistics capabilities in contested environments. To accommodate rising demand for the Grasshopper product line and DZYNE Technologies’ UAS division— featuring flagship products ULTRA and LEAP—the company expanded its manufacturing footprint in late 2023. The new 125,000-square-foot facility in Irvine, California, is now ramping up Grasshopper production to fulfill current and future orders as part of the broader program. (Source: PR Newswire)
06 May 25. A new player has entered the tactical defense market. Helix DefenseTM today announced its official launch, unveiling STINGTM, a programmable, scalable, smart airburst interceptor that uses existing weapon systems to give dismounted warfighters a last-mile, decisive edge against unmanned aerial threats. Founded by defense veterans and MedTech innovators, Helix Defense fuses battlefield experience with precision engineering and scalability to tackle one of the fastest-growing challenges in modern combat: the threat of small drones to frontline formations.
“Warfighters at the tactical edge need tools that match their urgency, clarity and decisiveness,” said Eric Sanders, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer at Helix Defense. “STING is built for them–fast, modular and intelligent–to neutralize threats before they reach our forces.”
With STING, Helix Defense aims to set a new standard of survivability for frontline units–a shift from reactive defense to proactive threat denial at the edge.
STING is designed for rapid deployment across diverse operational environments–initially in the 40mm profile–and offers modular integration for a range of mission profiles. The company’s launch marks a step change in addressing the growing demand for agile, close quarters counter-UAS solutions.
06 May 25. Defence tech startup Origin Robotics has launched BLAZE, an autonomous counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) interceptor designed to neutralize fast-moving aerial threats with precision and speed. As drones become an increasingly dominant force on the modern battlefield, BLAZE offers a cost-effective solution to counter them, filling the gap between traditional gun-based air defence and high-cost missile interceptors. The interceptor is aimed to strengthen the defence capabilities of European countries amid rising threats and geopolitical uncertainty. Drones have reshaped modern warfare, dictating battlefield strategies and shifting the balance of power. Their widespread use, particularly in Ukraine, has demonstrated both their effectiveness and the high cost of countering them. In January 2025 alone, Russia launched over 2,500 drones into Ukrainian territory – an average of 80 drones per day. This escalation underscores the urgent need for advanced yet cost-efficient air defence solutions.
Agris Kipurs, CEO and co-founder of Origin Robotics, said, “In asymmetric warfare, drones are relatively inexpensive and widely deployed to overwhelm air defences and strike targets both at the frontline and deep behind it, making it challenging and costly to counter. We designed BLAZE specifically to address this threat—a fast, intelligent, and cost-effective addition to existing air defence systems. We remain committed to delivering cost-efficient and adaptable solutions to support Europe and NATO allies in addressing existing and future security challenges.”
BLAZE is a man-portable, rapidly deployable interceptor designed to defeat fast-moving aerial threats, including loitering munitions and hostile UAVs. The system combines radar-based detection with AI-powered computer vision, delivering autonomous target acquisition and operator-approved interception. Equipped with a high-explosive (HE) fragmentation warhead, it ensures precise and effective threat elimination, even in contested environments. The system autonomously detects, acquires, and locks onto targets using a combination of radar tracking and AI-powered computer vision. Upon operator confirmation, the system executes a precisely calculated attack—either destroying the target on direct impact or engaging it with an airburst fragmentation detonation. BLAZE delivers high mobility, scalability, and cost-efficiency for modern armed forces. As an operator-supervised autonomous system, it ensures the operator retains final-stage control, including the ability to issue a wave-off command that directs the BLAZE to either return safely or self-destruct. This capability allows immediate deployment even in scenarios with uncertain target identification, significantly reducing the risks of friendly fire and minimizing collateral damage. The interceptor is designed for quick deployment and high-intensity operations. The first drone can be launched in under five minutes, with subsequent launches taking less than a minute. Compact and portable, BLAZE’s transport case doubles as a launch station and charging dock. Its tool-less setup ensures it is flight-ready in under ten minutes. Following the battlefield-proven success of its flagship drone system, BEAK, currently deployed by the Ukrainian and Latvian Armed Forces, Origin Robotics continues to develop scalable, next-generation technologies for modern warfare. Thanks to BEAK’s rapid deployment and proven capabilities, Origin has quickly earned recognition for its technology and built trust in its autonomous aerial systems—reflected in an R&D contract from the Latvian Ministry of Defence and a grant from the European Defence Fund.
02 May 25. Palladyne AI and Red Cat Announce Successful Completion of Cross-Platform Collaborative Drone Flight. Palladyne AI Corp. (NASDAQ: PDYN and PDYNW) (“Palladyne AI”), a developer of artificial intelligence software for robotic platforms in the defense and commercial sectors, and Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCAT) (“Red Cat”), a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations, today announced a significant testing milestone in their ongoing collaboration—the completion of an autonomous, cross-platform collaborative flight involving three diverse heterogeneous drones. During this most recent testing, which leveraged Red Cat’s Teal 2 and Black Widow drones and the Palladyne™ Pilot AI software, each platform operated using onboard edge computing and constrained communication protocols without reliance on centralized infrastructure to communicate. The system enabled real-time, distributed detection and tracking of multiple dynamic and static ground objects—including humans and vehicles—in different regions of interest, providing a single operator with comprehensive situational awareness. The two companies previously announced a successful two-drone flight operation in January 2025, and Palladyne AI announced a single-drone testing scenario in December 2024 to autonomously identify, prioritize, and track terrestrial targets.
“This new testing milestone represents significant progress in our joint mission with Red Cat to enable multi-drone interoperability and autonomous collaboration for the defense sector,” said Matt Vogt, Chief Revenue Officer, Palladyne AI. “We are proud to have successfully completed this three-drone flight and believe our joint, cross-platform, autonomous solution will be a game changer for U.S. military personnel and drone operators. With this major step forward, we are excited about what Palladyne Pilot will bring to our government and defense customers as well as to our target non-defense civil customer base.”
“Successfully expanding from single to three-drone operations reflects not only the reliability of our drones and Palladyne’s AI software, but also the capability of onboard systems to independently handle complex missions,” said Geoff Hitchcock, Chief Revenue Officer of Red Cat. “For warfighters, this provides greater situational awareness while requiring fewer operators in the field to manage multiple assets. This latest test is a meaningful step toward making multiple, collaborative autonomous systems more practical and effective in real-world defense scenarios.” (Source: ASD Network)
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BCB certainly has a rich history (1854) and an impressive portfolio of products designed to enhance the safety and effectiveness of NATO defence personnel in various environments.
The core competency of protecting lives in hostile environments, includes:
LAND:
BCB`s camouflage creams and camouflage nets have been standard issue to conceal generations of British and NATO forces.
Our newly developed MultiSpectral Cam technology, the MK8 Phantom, camouflages and protects people/vehicles/assets in the visual, IR and thermal (SWIR/MWIR/LWIR) spectrums.
FireDragon, our eco field cooking fuel, burns cleanly so can also be used in the confined space of a foxhole or tent. It is waterproof, easy to light, non-toxic and smokeless.
SEA;
Our patented Floating Body Armour is unique, versatile and sensibly protects both you and your life jacket, under the soft and hard armour. Designed to be low bulk, it`s massive 275 newtons of buoyancy is self-righting. We say it will “save your life twice”.
Our range of Boat Stopping Systems, provided a layered non-lethal stopping capability against all sizes of vessels, including unmanned threats. So you can stop and search, defeat pirates from boarding, prevent terrorists from getting near your vessel or close off quickly a waterway, port or maritime borders.
AIR;
BCB`s sister company UAVE have been manufacturing since 2013, the Dragon MK3, large, long range (1,000km) long endurance (12hours), versatile and mission-ready UAV. It is proven and operational from the polar regions to 45deg C heat in the Middle East and Asia. The larger of the 3 models, carries 25 kilos payload.
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