Defense

Replicator 2 effort aims to produce anti-drone defenses

The second phase of the Pentagon’s make-more-stuff-quickly effort will kick off in the 2026 budget request, a memo says.

Emerging Tech

FCC rule grants drone operators spectrum access for navigation

The agency said assigning spectrum access in the 5GHz band is an initial step toward integrating drones into the National Airspace System.

Defense

Wartime need for drones would outstrip US production. There’s a way to fix that

The U.S. military needs to “mainstream” new operating concepts and get going with big orders, experts say.

Emerging Tech

Bipartisan House bill seeks to reauthorize federal counter-drone authority

A proposal to extend the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice’s authority to mitigate threats from unmanned aircraft systems would also grant new counter-drone abilities to the FAA.

Defense

Across the Army, units lean into drone experimentation

In division after division, soldiers are learning to use a rising wave of robots and other unmanned systems.

Emerging Tech

Bipartisan bill seeks to grow NASA program using drones to fight wildfires

New legislation attempts to improve NASA’s Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response to Operations program so firefighters can more effectively use drones.

Artificial Intelligence

Adding generative AI to wargame training can improve realism, but not without risk

The next big move may be to make military simulations smarter, specifically by adding advanced AI so that the simulated adversaries can offer better challenges.

Cybersecurity

Senators want NIST to create cyber guidelines for agencies’ use of civilian drones

The new bipartisan bill would also require that every agency using civilian drones “implement policies and principles based on the NIST guidelines.”

Cybersecurity

CISA, FBI warn on risks of China-made drones

The new guidance is meant to alert critical infrastructure operators to potential security risks, including data exfiltration and cybersecurity risks, posed by unmanned aircraft systems manufactured in China.

Emerging Tech

US would be ‘effectively defenseless’ without counter-drone authority extension, FBI director says

The Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice’s authority to mitigate threats from unmanned aircraft systems is set to expire on Nov. 18.

Defense

The next drone war is coming to Gaza

The world could soon glimpse how soldiers use drones and personal data to find targets.

Defense

Job 1 for makers of anti-drone defenses: write good software

Pentagon buyers are looking for control systems that are reliable, easy to use, and simple to update.

Acquisition

DOD looks to counter China by accelerating drone acquisition, production

The "Replicator" initiative announced by the Pentagon's No. 2 official looks to leverage lo-fi, autonomous systems to outpace China on the battlefield.

Emerging Tech

As drone popularity grows, government considers how to safeguard the skies

While the vast majority of drone operators pilot their devices safely, there have been incidents where drones stray into dangerous places.

Emerging Tech

Air Force Research Lab Tests Tech That Blasts Drones Down With Microwaves

The lab is testing this new technology to combat swarms of drones and to be able to do so from a greater distance than existing counter-drone technologies.

Emerging Tech

Interior Wants a Fleet of Drones ‘On Call’ to Help With Wildfires, Other Emergencies

The department is awarding multiple spots on a $7.2 million contract for unmanned aerial systems-as-a-service.

Digital Government

TSA Says Its Drone Program Won’t Collect Much Info on the Public

The agency is going to use drones to conduct security assessments at airports, transportation incidents and large security events.

Emerging Tech

DHS Seeks Solutions to ‘Dark Swarms’ of Drones

The Department of Homeland Security wants to continue countering illicit drone activity, particularly among unmanned aerial devices that are difficult to spot.