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08 December 2025
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/UmSIu1898Iv7yDwfv3FNBDfyIPYhNQgeqPYj37og.png" alt="" width="196" height="182" />
By Jay of Jay's Tech Vault
I run <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@JaysTechVault/featured" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jays Tech Vault</a> on YouTube, where more than 225,000 subscribers follow deep dives on drone mapping, automation, and the business side of flying. I'm also the creator of <a href="https://www.waypointmap.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WaypointMap.com</a>, <a href="https://www.aerialmodel.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AerialModel.com</a>, and <a href="https://www.droneinvoice.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DroneInvoice.com</a>.&nbsp;
Most pilots underestimate how much impact they can make on this industry. We come from technical backgrounds, we see problems firsthand, and we often have the ability to fix them&mdash;but most of us never try. 
I want to share a short story about how I accidentally ended up shaping part of the drone community, and why it led me to build something that I believe will define the next chapter of drone work.
<h5>How a File Hack Changed Modern Drone Mapping</h5>
In the fall of 2023, I was a senior in computer engineering at NC State University, studying under the late Marshall Brain, founder of <a href="https://www.howstuffworks.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HowStuffWorks</a>. My senior design project at the time was a third-party RTK attachment for drones. But I hit a major roadblock: my brand-new DJI Mavic 3 couldn&rsquo;t fly autonomous mapping missions. DJI&rsquo;s SDK didn&rsquo;t support it, and without automation, the RTK idea was dead on arrival.
Around that time, DJI announced the long-awaited Waypoints feature. I almost bought a Skydio X2 purely because of their waypoint capabilities, so this caught my attention. Then I had a thought: DJI stores mission files on the RC&mdash;what if I could modify them directly?
One weekend later, after digging through RC files and testing every variation I could think of, it worked. You could automate missions with no SDK support at all.
<h5>Building WaypointMap&nbsp;</h5>
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/44bhwdDeK0rvfFYhW2Of3lUUxjzaRrsm962FUgX5.png" alt="" width="635" height="358" />
Winter break gave me time to turn the hack into something pilots could actually use. I built a simple map tool: draw a box, automatically generate a mission. My younger brother and I recorded a short tutorial and uploaded it to YouTube.
Within hours, it exploded.
I spent the entire spring semester adding features pilots asked for in my free time. Some people told me I should charge more. Some said it should&rsquo;ve been fully paid from the beginning. But honestly, it never started as a business. It started because local pilots in Raleigh&mdash;people I saw every month at the downtown drone meetup&mdash;helped me. I wanted to give something back.
Those meetups shaped how I think about building tools today. Everyone there has real problems and real constraints. They&rsquo;re the people I picture every time I sit down to create something new.
<h5>A Bigger Problem: Pilots Aren&rsquo;t Getting Enough Work</h5>
Fast-forward a year. I noticed a new trend: pilots were struggling to get paid work. Not because they weren&rsquo;t skilled, but because discovery was broken. Directories were outdated. Marketplaces weren&rsquo;t driving real demand. And a lot of commercial pilots were stuck relying on cold outreach, referrals, or nothing at all.
How do we actually help pilots get work?
Back in April 2024, while still an undergrad, I wrote down an idea called DroneInvoice&mdash;originally just a better workflow for managing and delivering client files. At the time, I was still handing clients SD cards and unorganized download links. There had to be a better way.
But when I revisited the idea the following year, something clicked. Improving workflow wasn&rsquo;t enough. Pilots needed opportunity, not just organization.
<h5>Why I Built DroneInvoice</h5>
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/r6a2KCzucVYTxgH0FXO7ORVyB5gAttpm9WTfS2M7.png" alt="" width="705" height="485" />
So the question became: Can a tool do both &mdash; streamline a pilot&rsquo;s workflow and actively help them get jobs?
The more I researched, the clearer the answer became. Yes &mdash; but not in the way directories currently operate. Pilots don&rsquo;t need another marketplace with empty promises. They need something that:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Shows their past work in a way clients actually trust</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Improves their SEO automatically each time they upload</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Gives them a public portfolio they control</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Helps them get discovered through real search traffic, not wishful thinking</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Handles invoicing, delivery, and client communication in one place </li>
</ul>
And most importantly...
A platform where their flights could keep earning long after delivery.
That&rsquo;s when DroneInvoice evolved into something bigger&mdash;a single place where clients can find you, hire you, pay you, and license your past flights automatically.
It became the answer to the question I asked myself at 22. How do I help the pilots who helped me?
Graduation came. I walked with my masters, then asked myself, "How can I actually change the world now?" 
I decided the best idea I had was to tackle the biggest, hardest problem I knew.
So I sat down&mdash;day after day, week after week, month after month. For six months, I worked away, building what I believe will revolutionize how we as pilots do our work in the drone industry. A week ago, I finally got to show it to the world. I know, deep down, this is how work will be handled going forward.
<h5>The Real Problem With Today&rsquo;s Drone Workflows</h5>
After launching DroneInvoice publicly last week, I realized something that had been building for years&mdash;almost every pilot I know is losing income because of the same hidden bottlenecks.
Not lack of skill. Not lack of gear. Not lack of demand.
The real problem is workflow friction&mdash;the quiet, boring, administrative drag that quietly kills your earning potential. 
After talking to thousands of pilots, the patterns became impossible to ignore:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Your best flights stop earning the moment you deliver them &mdash; no long-tail value.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Clients struggle with links, folders, zips, and approvals, costing you repeat work.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Directories and marketplaces don&rsquo;t send real leads&mdash;most pilots get better cold leads from Instagram DMs.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Your past flights aren&rsquo;t searchable, licensed, or connected to real-world demand.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Upgrades, add-ons, and re-licensing almost never happen&mdash;even when clients would pay.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">File delivery remains slow and fragmented, and &ldquo;Can you resend the link?&rdquo; becomes a weekly email. </li>
</ul>
Every one of these issues impacts how much you earn per flight, how often you get booked, and how many hours you lose to admin work. These weren&rsquo;t just pain points&mdash;they were clues.
<h5>Why DroneInvoice Exists</h5>
The point of DroneInvoice isn&rsquo;t to create another directory, marketplace, or link-sharing tool. 
It&rsquo;s built around a simple idea. If we remove the friction in how pilots present, deliver, license, and monetize their work, we unlock more jobs for everyone. Automatically.
Pilots shouldn&rsquo;t need to be marketers, web developers, business analysts, and file-delivery specialists just to get paid for doing good work.
Your past flights should keep earning you income. Your clients should have one clear place to review, approve, and pay. Your best work should help you get discovered&mdash;not sit in a hard drive.
That&rsquo;s the future I believe our industry is heading toward. And that&rsquo;s the future DroneInvoice is built for.
My goal isn&rsquo;t to build another tool&mdash;it&rsquo;s to make flying drones a viable, sustainable career for more pilots. If you&rsquo;ve ever felt stuck between great flights and not enough income, I built DroneInvoice for you.

Not Getting Enough Drone Work?

05 December 2025
<a href="https://news.northropgrumman.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Northrop Grumman</a> has unveiled Project Talon, an autonomous aircraft built to fly alongside crewed fighters. As the latest addition to the company&rsquo;s elite autonomous portfolio, Project Talon represents a paradigm shift in air dominance as an adaptive, collaborative teammate for combat missions.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<ul>
<li class="pf0">Project&nbsp;Talon combines greater mission versatility with the most advanced modular manufacturing techniques. This disruptive approach shortens timelines, emphasizing speed and simplicity.</li>
<li class="pf0">Project Talon advances collaboration between crewed and uncrewed aircraft, acting as a force multiplier to enhance lethality, adaptability and mission effectiveness.</li>
<li class="pf0">Project Talon expands previous boundaries of collaborative aircraft technology to give U.S. and international customers the ability to project power in dynamic threat environments.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Northrop Grumman has more than 500,000 autonomous flight test hours across seven decades of experience in autonomy. Along with the release of Beacon earlier this year, Northrop Grumman continues to demonstrate it is advancing autonomy with speed and decisive action.&nbsp;
<h5 class="pf0">Details on Project Talon&nbsp;</h5>
<ul>
<li class="pf0">Project Talon was designed, built and on track to fly in under 24 months.</li>
<li class="pf0">The Northrop Grumman autonomous testbed ecosystem, Beacon, accelerated Project Talon, testing its avionics software in real-world environments.</li>
<li class="pf0">Project Talon builds on Northrop Grumman&rsquo;s seven decades of advanced, battle-tested autonomous systems across every domain.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers&rsquo; toughest problems, our employees define possible every day.&nbsp;

Northrop Grumman Reveals Project Talon

04 December 2025
Unless you've flown <a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.antigravity.tech/drone/antigravity-a1?i_source=website&amp;i_medium=blog&amp;i_campaign=5reasons" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-after="underline">Antigravity A1</a>, you've been looking at the sky through a keyhole.
Traditional drones demand that you be a pilot first and a creator second. You have to worry about stick sensitivity, gimbal tilt, wind direction, and obstacle avoidance, all while trying to get the shot.
It&rsquo;s stressful. It&rsquo;s outdated.
A1 is the world's first 8K 360 drone. Rather than upgrade what the market offers, why not reinvent it? That was the founding mission of Antigravity&mdash;to rethink drones and how we use them.
<h5>Record Everywhere, All At Once</h5>
With a standard drone, the camera only sees what you point it at. If a bird flies past your left wing, or a whale breaches behind you, tough luck&mdash;you missed it.
A1 records&nbsp;everything, in every direction,&nbsp;all the time (so long as you hit record!).
That means you don't need to be a skilled pilot to get cinematic shots. You can fly straight forward, completely focused on the flight path, knowing that the drone is capturing the mountains behind you, the river below you, and the sky above you in 8K resolution.
Once you've landed, sit back and choose the best angle, or simply enjoy what you captured in full 360.
Better yet, with our intuitive editing in-app or on computer, you don't need to be a master editor to put together stunning shots. From complete automatic highlights to the powerful effects. Tool after tool, ready to help build jaw-dropping clips.
<h5>Aspect Ratios Are History</h5>
We live in a multi-screen world. You need horizontal video for YouTube, vertical video for TikTok, and square video for Instagram. With traditional drones, you have to decide before you fly which format you are shooting in.
With A1,&nbsp;aspect ratios are dead.&nbsp;
Because you are capturing a 360-degree sphere, you can export the same flight footage in 16:9, 9:16, or 1:1 without losing quality. One flight gives you content for every platform. You never have to choose between "cinematic" and "social-ready" again.
<h5>If You Can Point, You Can Fly</h5>
Traditional controllers look like they belong in a cockpit, covered in switches and sticks that can take weeks to master (some would argue it takes months or years!). A1 replaces that complexity with the&nbsp;Grip controller.
This motion controller works with your natural instincts.
Want to fly forward? Squeeze the trigger. Want to turn left? Simply point, and the drone moves in that direction. Our FreeMotion Mode removes the barrier between your brain and the drone. It&rsquo;s liberatingly easy, allowing you to focus on the view rather than the mechanics.
<h5>A True "Out of Body" Experience</h5>
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/74UBasPFkeSfKLO9YzKNElEtZjEkPUC9YFDwTraV.png" alt="" width="671" height="377" />
Most FPV goggles just show you a video feed.&nbsp;Vision goggles transport you.&nbsp;
Because A1 captures in 360, your view isn't locked to the drone's nose. You can fly forward while looking sideways, or look down to see the ground rushing past.
This level of immersion is powered by&nbsp;dual 1-inch Micro-OLED displays&nbsp;with a stunning&nbsp;2560x2560 resolution&nbsp;per eye. Combined with our advanced&nbsp;Pancake optics, the image is crystal clear from edge to edge, making the world feel tangible. If you've been waiting to feel fully immersed in flight, A1 is the solution.
<h5>Replaceable Lenses</h5>
The biggest fear for any drone pilot is scratching the lens. On most drones, a scratched lens means sending the entire unit back for costly repairs and weeks of downtime.
A1 was built for the real world. It features&nbsp;user-replaceable lenses that you can swap out in minutes. If you clip a branch or kick up some gravel, you just twist off and twist on a new lens in no time. Just like that, you&rsquo;re back in the air. Simple.
<h5>The Bottom Line</h5>
Antigravity A1 was born to challenge an industry that has hit a ceiling. We believe flight should be an instinct, not a skill test.
By stripping away the complexity, we&rsquo;ve created a truly unique experience with&nbsp;lower stress and barrier to entry.&nbsp;It&rsquo;s time to make flight less like work and more like wonder.
<h5>Experience 360 Flight</h5>
<iframe style="width: 670px; height: 377px;" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SibFesN7VWs?si=kR95BqjEtMef-r-N" width="670" height="377" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

5 Reasons the Antigravity A1 Changes Everything

Drone Education

02 December 2025
<div class="row">
<div class="col-lg-10 col-lg-offset-1">
<a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.fullsail.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full Sail University</a> has officially opened the doors to its state-of-the-art drone facility "The Full Sail University Drone Innovation Center."
Faculty, students, staff and a plethora of invited guests were on hand in celebration of the December 2 ribbon cutting to open and tour the more than 7,870 square foot multi purpose-built Drone Innovation Center on the university's Winter Park, FL based campus. The facility features six designated areas dedicated to the following:
</div>
</div>
<div class="row">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1">
<ul type="disc">
<li>Advanced Airspace: This indoor, fully netted, 3,564-square-foot flight zone supports drone races, autonomous navigation, safety security and defense applications. </li>
<li>Communications: This dedicated space within the facility serves as a communications hub, fully equipped for podcasting, live streaming, and a range of multimedia communications needs. </li>
<li>Engineering: This space houses hardware and serves as an engineering hub for students. </li>
<li>Remote Operations: Designed to mimic remote operation environments commonly used in live event production, business, as well as military and defense applications, here students will learn to monitor, coordinate, and control drone operations from a distance. </li>
<li>Simulation &amp; Programming: Here students test flight simulations using AI, computer vision, and drone simulation software such as VelociDrone. </li>
<li>Situation Room: This multipurpose room will allow educators and students to debrief, review flight footage, learn new flight control software, and collaborate on next steps for ongoing drone projects.</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/qIN5IDsaRkqCzBcanjEWcjfoyf00DzNCVeo47AWm.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427" />
Full Sail University Drone Innovation Center's Advanced Airspace.
"Today marks the first day that the Drone Innovation Center is open at Full Sail University. This space gives students across both the emerging technologies and entertainment media degree programs the opportunity to learn how drone technology best serves a wide array of sectors ranging from commercial, industrial, and business, to media, military, live events, entertainment and more," said Haifa Maamar, PhD, Executive Director of Emerging Technologies at Full Sail University. "We are proud to welcome this new facility to our university, and we cannot wait to see the inspired innovations that will be developed by our students here."
<h5>About Full Sail University </h5>
Full Sail University is an award-winning educational leader for those pursuing careers in entertainment media and emerging technologies. Founded in 1979, Full Sail has received innumerable accolades throughout its 45-year history including most recently being named a 2025 "Top Game Design School" by&nbsp;The Princeton Review&nbsp;and featured in&nbsp;MovieMaker&nbsp;magazine's "30 Best Film Schools in the U.S. and Canada" list for 2025. Full Sail University is a graduate and undergraduate degree-granting institution offering on-campus and online degree programs in areas related to Art &amp; Design, Business, Film &amp; Television, Games, Media &amp; Communications, Music &amp; Recording, Sports, and Technology. With over 100,000 graduates worldwide, Full Sail alumni have worked on countless award-winning projects with individual recognition including Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, Addy, and The Game Award honors.
</div>
</div>

Full Sail University Opens Drone Innovation Center

01 December 2025
The <a href="https://www.eltonjohnaidsfoundation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Elton John AIDS Foundation</a> (EJAF) today celebrates <a href="https://www.zipline.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zipline</a>'s $150 million funding from the U.S. State Department to triple its lifesaving drone delivery network, a milestone that builds on the Foundation's catalytic early support and cements their role in pioneering drone-enabled HIV care across Africa. The award is based on a first-of-its-kind pay-for-performance model, demonstrating how early philanthropic support helped underscore Zipline's growing impact.
From the outset, EJAF was an early supporter of Zipline's entry into Kenya, paving the way for national and international funders to follow and enable the expansion of Zipline's groundbreaking model across the continent. Rwanda is expected to be the first country to expand under this new model, marking the beginning of continent-wide scale that could triple Zipline's network from 5,000 to 15,000 health facilities and reach 100 million people.
<h5>Impact Since EJAF's 2023 Support</h5>
Kenya and Nigeria at a glance...
<ul type="disc">
<li>125,000 people reached with HIV interventions</li>
<li>90,000 people reached with prevention tools</li>
<li>38,600 adolescents and young adults tested for HIV</li>
<li>8,600 at-risk adolescents and young adults initiated on PrEP</li>
<li>86,000 antiretrovirals delivered via drone</li>
</ul>
"From the beginning, the Elton John AIDS Foundation has stood with communities too often left behind, without the healthcare they urgently need and deserve," said Elton John, Founder of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. "Zipline's innovative approach to delivering medical care is exactly the kind of work our Foundation exists to champion. We were their first philanthropic partner in Kenya and have helped them build a network there - and in other countries across Africa - that ensures people living with HIV get access to the treatment they need every single day. By reaching people where they are and harnessing technology to deliver care, our program shows what's possible and gives people everywhere a real chance at a future free from HIV."
The Foundation first supported Zipline in 2023, recognizing the potential of Zipline's drone technology to break down barriers to care. The Foundation was Zipline's first partner in Kenya and has since expanded collaboration to Nigeria, ensuring people living with HIV, particularly young people and LGBTQ+ communities, receive testing, prevention, and treatment services directly in their communities.
"Stigma and discrimination keep too many young people in Sub-Saharan Africa from the care they deserve. For someone like 24-year-old Charles Atieno, our partnership with Zipline is a lifeline," said David Furnish, Chair of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. "Charles can learn his status, access contraceptives, or pick up a self-test kit right where he plays football - without fear, judgment, or a long trip to a clinic. This is exactly why we backed Zipline early. By supporting their entry into Kenya, we helped generate the evidence and confidence that made this major governmental investment possible. Today's milestone shows what happens when innovation meets compassion: young people thrive, and global partners step up."
Independent&nbsp;<a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4566467-1&amp;h=2135761027&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fssir.org%2Farticles%2Fentry%2Fzipline-health-innovations-africa&amp;a=research" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research</a> shows Zipline's system also strengthens wider health outcomes &mdash; from reducing stockouts to cutting maternal mortality - demonstrating how the same innovation improving HIV care has far-reaching impact.
"Years ago, the Foundation made a bold investment in Zipline's game-changing technology because we knew they could deliver testing and treatment to communities that traditional supply chains simply couldn't reach," said Anne Aslett, CEO of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. "Today, we're proud to see our support in their pilot has evolved into a self-sustaining system that will outlast any single grant. Our transformative partnership has created something much bigger than a program - it's built into a legacy that will continue to save thousands of lives. This is our path to an AIDS-free world: funding innovations that become permanent solutions."
"The Elton John AIDS Foundation is an extraordinary philanthropic partner. They backed a simple but radical idea: bring HIV medicines to where people are instead of making them come to you, especially in places where stigma keeps too many away," said Caitlin Burton, CEO of Zipline Africa. "Their early support proved how centralized, on-demand delivery can reach people living with HIV privately, reliably, and cost-effectively - whether that's at home, at work, or on the sidelines of a soccer game. With Zipline's rapid expansion fueled by the U.S. State Department award, there are now dozens of opportunities for donors to follow EJAF's lead - providing catalytic, one-time investments that help African governments solve intractable health challenges and bridge the gap to self-sustainability."
"Imagine ending HIV transmission in a continent. We now have the tools to do it: visionary leaders, medications with 100% effectiveness, and on-demand delivery that can get the right medicine to anyone, anywhere," said Keller Rinaudo Clifton, CEO and Co-Founder of Zipline. "Thanks to bold partners like the U.S. State Department, African governments and the Elton John AIDS Foundation, we're making that dream a reality."
<h5>About the Elton John AIDS Foundation</h5>
The Elton John AIDS Foundation was established in 1992 and is one of the leading independent AIDS organizations in the world. The Foundation's mission is simple: an end to the AIDS epidemic. The Elton John AIDS Foundation is committed to overcoming the stigma, discrimination and neglect that keep us from ending AIDS. With the mobilization of our network of generous supporters and partners, we fund local experts across four continents to challenge discrimination, prevent infections and provide treatment, as well as informing government strategies to end AIDS.
<h5>About Zipline</h5>
Zipline is the world&rsquo;s largest and most experienced autonomous delivery service. Today Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and serves more than 5,000 hospitals and health facilities. Zipline's customers include federal and state health systems, health care institutions, restaurants and retailers. With more than 120 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown to date, Zipline is transforming access to healthcare, consumer products, and food. Our customers rely on Zipline to save lives, reduce emissions, increase economic opportunity, and provide new logistics services at scale.
For years Zipline has worked with visionary governments and philanthropic organizations willing to take bold action to improve health outcomes for tens of millions of people. Partners include the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the Gates Foundation, Gavi, Pfizer, and The UPS Foundation, which have helped Zipline and its partner governments develop a wealth of empirical evidence that advances our understanding of how improved supply chain performance increases timely treatment and ultimately saves lives. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a style="color: #ba372a;" href="http://zipline.com/africa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zipline.com/Africa</a>.
<h5>More News on the Zipline Deal</h5>
Zipline, an American robotics company that designs, manufactures, and operates the world&rsquo;s largest autonomous delivery system, today announced a landmark agreement with the U.S. Department of State to expand its life-saving drone delivery service across Africa &ndash; a proven and more affordable way to improve health outcomes. At full scale, the partnership could triple the number of hospitals and health facilities Zipline serves (from 5,000&nbsp; to 15,000) and provide up to 130 million people with instant access to blood and medications.&nbsp;
Under a new pay-for-performance model &mdash; a first-of its kind from the State Department &mdash; Zipline will receive up to $150 million to expand its AI and robotics infrastructure that enables African governments to provide 24/7 delivery of essential medical supplies to hospitals and health facilities. As buyers of the service African countries will pay up to $400 million in utilization fees. Funding will be released only when governments sign expansion contracts and commit to pay for ongoing logistics services to ensure long-term sustainability.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We started Zipline to build a logistics system that serves all people equally. Today the U.S. government is doubling down on our work, and using our AI, robotics and autonomous logistics system to improve health outcomes,&rdquo; said&nbsp;Keller Rinaudo Cliffton, CEO and Co-Founder of Zipline. &ldquo;For years presidents and prime ministers have told me they want the best of what America has to offer: innovation, jobs and 21st century technology to leapfrog into the future. That has always been America&rsquo;s unique value proposition and today, the State Department is making that happen.&rdquo;
&ldquo;This partnership is an example of the innovative, results-driven partnership at the core of the America First foreign assistance agenda. With modest U.S. capital investment support, these five countries will become responsible for maintaining and continuing to invest in a transformative American-built health commodities supply chain network,&rdquo; said ​​Under Secretary of State for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs and Religious Freedom Jeremy Lewin. &ldquo;By strategically deploying assistance resources to catalyze private capital, incentivize local buy-in, and champion American businesses, President Trump&rsquo;s foreign assistance agenda is bringing developing economies into the 21st century and helping America win the race for the technologies of tomorrow at the same time.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Scaling Proven Impact&nbsp;Poor logistics hinders the movement of critical goods and services that people need to live and thrive. Zipline&rsquo;s infrastructure is proven to deliver better health outcomes by solving the root of many public health challenges: slow, unreliable and analog logistics that often leaves blood, medications and supplies out of stock or spoiled.&nbsp;
Since its first delivery in 2016, Zipline&rsquo;s autonomous logistics system &mdash; designed and manufactured in the U.S. &mdash; has completed 1.8 million autonomous deliveries with zero safety incidents. With Zipline, hospitals, health facilities, and community health workers have on-demand access to a world-class pharmacy from nearly any location. Independent research shows its impact:
<ul>
<li>
Tens of thousands of lives have been saved through on-demand delivery&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Maternal deaths cut by&nbsp;<a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4214918" target="_blank" rel="noopener">up to</a><a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4214918" target="null">&nbsp;</a><a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://link.springer.com/epdf/10.1186/s12913-025-12479-1?sharing_token=YoYeeCFtBCzJFUzMyXq6qG_BpE1tBhCbnbw3BuzI2RME4g4J3KC4obXydI1hbKMRkSSYBGnOWMfSDG03SAYglrg1nJ8tlJuuagIjljn7zrFc0m3i6KRsH10oTVOZUMyMh1QqL6YZhXfdbn8qAD6YQY4oZASpbYl-sjOlakop1RRyd_lfIR775DueoKP_Hg-J" target="null">56%</a>&nbsp;in Zipline-supported health facilities&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Stockouts of medicine and vaccines&nbsp;<a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.idinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Zipline-Brief-FINAL-Digital-v3-2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reduced by 60%</a>&nbsp;where Zipline delivers&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Immunization rates&nbsp;<a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X23007016" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased 13-37 percentage points</a>&nbsp;in areas where Zipline operates&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Zipline was found to be one of the&nbsp;<a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.valuehealthregionalissues.com/article/S2212-1099%2824%2900099-2/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most cost-effective immunization interventions</a>&nbsp;ever studied, measured in incremental cost-effectiveness ratios&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
In some places where Zipline operates in Africa, the average time between when a health facility places an order to when it is delivered is 13 days. Zipline cut that to under 30 minutes for the facilities it serves in the country.&nbsp;
Since 2016, federal and state ministries of health in Africa have procured and paid for Zipline&rsquo;s services to achieve health and economic improvements in their countries. This expansion backs these countries&rsquo; visions and multiplies the impact of African leaders and their domestic investments.&nbsp;
The partnership with the State Department signals a new era of commercial diplomacy&nbsp;&mdash; one that uses U.S. innovation to drive global health and economic development. This is also the State Department&rsquo;s first award that uses AI, robotics and autonomous logistics to improve health outcomes. Rwanda is expected to be the first country to sign an agreement under this new model.
&ldquo;African governments are choosing to invest their own resources in Zipline because it works, and it&rsquo;s incredible value for money. It solves intractable global health challenges like maternal mortality, malnutrition, and under 5 mortality,&rdquo; said&nbsp;Caitlin Burton, CEO of Zipline&rsquo;s Africa business. &ldquo;This award marks a pivotal moment in foreign aid &mdash; the U.S. government is backing Africa&rsquo;s vision, building the infrastructure Africa wants, and accelerating the adoption of American innovation that&rsquo;s proven to work and recognized as one of the most cost-effective public health interventions ever studied. It will forever change the trajectory of human health and development in Africa.&rdquo;
The American financing will support the construction of new Zipline hubs, and will be released only after an African government has committed to expanding Zipline&rsquo;s operations in their country to meet agreed upon metrics for success. Each Zipline hub is a permanent piece of infrastructure, staffed entirely by local employees, which creates skilled local jobs and drives economic growth.&nbsp;
"Rwanda and Zipline have been working together for years to harness technology for the good of our people. We have witnessed the extraordinary impact of drone delivery &mdash; saving time, saving money, and saving lives,&rdquo; said&nbsp;Minister Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT and Innovation, Government of Rwanda. &ldquo;With this partnership, we will now expand to urban delivery, bringing these benefits to even more communities. We thank the U.S. Government for supporting Zipline&rsquo;s expansion and for joining us in building the foundation for Africa&rsquo;s future in healthcare and innovation.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&ldquo;With more than 200 million people, Nigeria faces unique challenges and opportunities in delivering healthcare equitably and efficiently. Existing Zipline operations in three Nigerian states have shown how drone delivery can transform access to healthcare &mdash; eliminating stockouts, creating new service points even where there is no health facility, driving growth in facility visits and treatment rates, and improving treatment success and health outcomes,&rdquo; said&nbsp;
Muhammad Ali Pate, Minister of Health and Social Welfare of Nigeria. &ldquo;We applaud the U.S. Government&rsquo;s support for innovations like Zipline that can potentially advance our vision for a healthier, more equitable future for our people and are in discussions to find a sustainable path working together.&rdquo;
"In C&ocirc;te d&rsquo;Ivoire, our priority is to guarantee every citizen rapid, reliable, and equitable access to essential health products.&ldquo; Since the launch of Zipline&rsquo;s operations in our country, we have witnessed the concrete impact of medical drone delivery: shorter supply times, improved availability of vital products, strengthened capacities of our health facilities, and better services delivered to our populations, including those in rural and remote areas. With the expansion of this partnership, we now aim to amplify these results and extend these benefits to an even larger number of communities across the entire territory,&rdquo; said&nbsp;Pierre Dimba, Minister of Health, Public Hygiene, and Universal Health Coverage of C&ocirc;te d&rsquo;Ivoire. &ldquo;This approach is fully aligned with our vision of a modern, resilient health system capable of innovating to meet tomorrow&rsquo;s needs. We also welcome the support of the United States Government in advancing this effort, which contributes to strengthening our health sovereignty and building an Ivorian model of excellence in health innovation.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Today autonomous logistics reaches less than 1% of the global population. This award comes one step closer to closing that gap, and it&rsquo;s only the beginning.&nbsp;
There is a massive opportunity to bring autonomous logistics to billions of people worldwide. This award is designed to be easily replicated by those who work in foreign aid and philanthropy: scale what works, pay for results, and enable countries to thrive long term.
When Zipline made its first delivery in 2016 it was seen as a crazy experiment. Now, the largest government in the world is doubling down on what Zipline is building and with the support of America and Africa, autonomous logistics is becoming the backbone of tomorrow's infrastructure around the world.

Elton John AIDS Foundation celebrates Zipline's $150 million funding

28 November 2025
<a href="https://uvisionuav.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Uvision Group</a>, a global pioneer in smart integrated systems, has announced &nbsp;the complete acquisition of <a href="https://spearuav.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SpearUAV</a>, an Israeli defense tech company, developer of encapsulated AI-based loitering systems. The acquisition marks another significant step in Uvision&rsquo;s continued expansion, and in its strategy to deliver a comprehensive, multi-layered approach of loitering munitions across all domains to customers around the globe.
This acquisition will accelerate SpearUAV&rsquo;s ability to realize its vision as the integral "battalion-level air force", providing persistent support and operational reach It is centered on the Viper family of encapsulated AI-driven loitering systems that bring reconnaissance, attack, Electronic Warfare (EW) and Counter-UAS (C-UAS) advanced capabilities,&nbsp; amplifying multi-Mission dominance across air, ground, sea and Sub-sea domains.
The Viper family and product portfolio complement Uvision&rsquo;s HERO family of Loitering Munitions, together forming an integrated suite of systems that can set new versatile solutions for the growing demand in the global defense market. While HERO systems address missions at higher echelons, providing precision surveillance, target acquisition, and strike capabilities for tactical and operational formations, Viper systems focus on lower tactical levels, including units operating from ground vehicles, navy vessels and submarines.
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/mN0h55Hye4Jw2zQ1fm9e7WjViPm5jr3yjoFfxYEL.jpg" alt="" width="465" height="394" />
HERO 120
Dr. Ran Gozali, CEO of Uvision, stated: &ldquo;We have great confidence in SpearUAV&rsquo;s management team, technologies, innovation and capabilities. Over recent years, Spear&rsquo;s strategy has aligned closely with our long-term vision. As UVision continues to expand - including our recent move into a new facility with advanced production, R&amp;D and testing infrastructure &mdash; the merger strengthens our ability to deliver a robust and versatile product portfolio. By combining forces, we will deliver strong, versatile product portfolio and integrated solutions with greater operational impact and value to our customers.&rdquo;
Yiftach Kleinman, CEO of SpearUAV, added: &ldquo;Since Uvision&rsquo;s initial strategic investment four years ago, our collaboration has proven very effective and successful. This acquisition is first and foremost an achievement of SpearUAV&rsquo;s team, whose innovation and professionalism - utilizing the vision of our founder, Gadi Kuperman - have positioned the company today as a global leader in encapsulated loitering weapon systems. Joining forces under the Uvision group will allow us to expand our reach and deliver greater value to global customers".
<h5>About UvisionAir Ltd</h5>
Uvision group designs and manufactures combat-proven smart integrated systems, providing military organizations around the globe with precise and effective operational attack capabilities. Its innovative, cost-effective systems are based on cutting-edge technology and 30 years of extensive field experience by military professionals, engineers, and management.
The HERO series of systems provides high-precision strike capabilities, based on unique aerodynamic platform configurations, flight qualities for precision-attack, integrated advanced airborne guidance, navigation and computer vision algorithms.
Uvision group offers a common operating system that allows mission management, that can be integrated with any host C4I system &ndash; thereby meeting the requirements of today&rsquo;s modern battlefield for combat in complex and dynamic environments.
The HERO series of loitering munitions is suitable for tactical and strategic targets ‒ whether for short, medium or long-range &ndash; utilizing a variety of warheads to ensure maximum mission effectiveness. The units are operationally deployed and combat proven. ISO certified, Uvision is fully committed to providing turnkey solutions to its extensive network of partners and customers around the world, with high-quality service and customer support.
<h5>About SpearUAV</h5>
SpearUAV Ltd. is a system house, specializing in encapsulated, AI-based loitering weapon systems for cross-domain applications - ground, air, sea, and sub-sea.
Spear provides military customers, organizations, and governments around the globe with a unique, field-proven, MIL-STD solutions. Spear&rsquo;s solutions are at the core of the emerging &ldquo;Organic Air Force&rdquo; for battalion level, empowering maneuvering forces with autonomous, on-demand capabilities such as loitering munitions, ISR, EW, and more.

Uvision acquires SpearUAV

26 November 2025&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.avinc.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AeroVironment, Inc.</a> will participate in the upcoming Goldman Sachs&rsquo; Industrials and Materials Conference in New York, New York. AV&rsquo;s chairman, president and chief executive officer, Wahid Nawabi, and AV&rsquo;s executive vice president and chief financial officer, Kevin McDonnell, will take part in a fireside chat on December 3 at 8:00 a.m. ET | 9:00 a.m. CT | 11:00 a.m. PT.
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/Y5XPcIWegFTGTcZOAO1l3haQ4Cb9GnKlmGa3Anhn.jpg" alt="" width="140" height="154" />
CFO Kevin McDonnell
The fireside chat will be available by webcast at the times listed above and archived on our website at the below link:
&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://event.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1743769&amp;tp_key=1d5ab1b1b3&amp;tp_special=8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CLICK TO JOIN THE CHAT ON DECEMBER 3</a></h2>
<h5>&nbsp;</h5>
<h5>About AeroVironment, Inc.</h5>
AeroVironment is a defense technology leader delivering integrated capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. The Company develops and deploys autonomous systems, loitering munitions, counter-UAS technologies, space-based platforms, directed energy systems, and cyber and electronic warfare capabilities&mdash;built to meet the mission needs of today&rsquo;s warfighter and tomorrow&rsquo;s conflicts. At the core of these technologies lies AV_Halo, a modular, mission-ready suite of AI-powered software tools that empowers warfighters and enables full-battlefield dominance: detect, decide, deliver. With a national manufacturing footprint and a deep innovation pipeline, AV delivers proven systems and future-defining capabilities at speed, scale, and operational relevance.&nbsp;

AeroVironment to Present at Industrials and Materials Conference

25 November 2025
<a href="https://www.parrot.com/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Parrot</a>, a European leader for professional micro-UAVs, announces that its latest generation of professional micro-UAV systems, ANAFI UKR, has been selected by a major European Defence Force, with one of its leading distribution partners acting as prime contractor, in a competitive 3-year procurement program aimed at modernizing tactical reconnaissance and situational-awareness capabilities across frontline units.
Under this program, Parrot and its distribution partner aim to deliver a large-scale fleet of next-generation tactical reconnaissance UAVs, accompanied by program management, engineering support, maintenance frameworks, documentation, spare-parts packages, and comprehensive training. First orders and deliveries are expected to start before the end of the year.
The agreement also includes multi-year options for significant additional system orders, enabling scalable deployment across the customer&rsquo;s operational forces as mission needs evolve.
This award is one of the most significant defence contracts won to date by ANAFI UKR and marks a major step forward in Parrot&rsquo;s expansion across European defence and public safety markets.
The contract award follows a rigorous multi-phase evaluation process under a structured European defence procurement framework. Short-listed bidders were assessed against stringent criteria involving system performance, cost, lifecycle sustainability, technical compliance, and supplier reliability.&nbsp;
Parrot&rsquo;s solution successfully passed: &nbsp;&nbsp;
&bull; Formal qualification and compliance reviews&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; A comprehensive evaluation of cost, capability, and program structure&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; A demanding flight demonstration phase, validating system performance in realistic operational conditions.
"This award demonstrates the growing trust European defence organizations place in Parrot&rsquo;s ISR micro-UAVs," said Chris Roberts, Senior Vice President of Parrot. "Across Europe, we are seeing sustained demand for secure, European-designed systems as nations accelerate their defence modernization plans. The selection of ANAFI UKR confirms our ability to deliver sovereign, cyber-secure and highly reliable tactical UAS &mdash; and to compete successfully in the most demanding procurement environments."
<h5>Enhancing Tactical Decision Making&nbsp;</h5>
<a href="https://www.parrot.com/en/anafi-ukr-technical-specifications" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ANAFI UKR</a>, the selected Parrot unmanned aerial system, is designed to give ground forces rapid, access to advanced aerial intelligence in complex and dynamic operational environments, with standard features including embedded AI, advanced optical navigation, anti-spoofing frequency hopping military radio and hardened cybersecurity architecture, enabling key capabilities such as: &nbsp;&nbsp;
&bull; Ability to fly and navigate autonomously in contested electromagnetic environments&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Real time classification &amp; tracking&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Extended flight endurance for persistent observation&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; High wind-resilience and environmental reliability&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Compact, soldier-portable design optimized for rapid deployment&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Advanced secure communications and mission-software features enabling safe, efficient, and data-rich operations&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Automated mission workflows, reducing operator burden and improving tempo in high-pressure situations&nbsp;&nbsp;
"ANAFI UKR gives tactical teams a decisive information advantage at the edge," said Roberts. "We designed the platform for harsh contested operational conditions where reliability, simplicity, and speed of deployment directly impact mission success. Whether deployed to defend national sovereignty or in the context of civil protection ANAFI UKR provides real-time visual intelligence, tactical flexibility and sovereign data control at the speed of field operations."
<h5>Comprehensive Support and Sustainment Partnership</h5>
Beyond system delivery, Parrot&rsquo;s distribution partner will support the European Defence Force Customer through a full lifecycle-services package, including: &nbsp;&nbsp;
&bull; Engineering and integration support&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Fleet maintenance and sustainment services&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Operator and maintainer training programs&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Spares pipelines and logistical support&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Continuous software, firmware, and cybersecurity enhancements&nbsp;&nbsp;

Parrot awarded contract from European Defence Force

24 November 2025
<a href="https://www.thedroningcompany.com/our-team/chris-fravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">By Chris "The Drone Geek" Fravel</a>
<a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://orqafpv.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ORQA FPV</a> is more than just a tech company; it's a story of passionate enthusiasts in a small Croatian city, whose obsession with a flawless flight experience propelled them onto the global stage. From hobbyist gear to high-stakes defense technology, the ORQA journey is a fascinating profile in rapid, community-driven innovation.
The ORQA story doesn't begin in Silicon Valley, but in Osijek, Croatia, where it was co-founded in late 2018 by Srdjan Kovačević (CEO), Ivan Jelu&scaron;ić, and Vlatko Matijević. Their mission was audacious: to become the world's number one technology provider for FPV and advanced Remote Reality (RR) applications. What set them apart from the start was their deep, personal commitment to the FPV community. They weren't just executives; they were pilots themselves, intimately familiar with the frustrations of existing gear.
The company&rsquo;s breakthrough moment arrived with the prototype of their flagship product, the <a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://orqafpv.com/products/fpvonepilot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FPV.One video goggles</a>, unveiled at CES in Las Vegas in January 2019. The real measure of community excitement, however, came with their Kickstarter campaign in June 2019. This wasn't a slow build; it was a detonation of support. They hit their funding goal in an unbelievable two minutes and were 200% over the goal within five minutes of launch.
This explosive success wasn't just about money; it was a mandate from the heart of the FPV world, proving that pilots were hungry for a new player committed to quality. Kovačević and his team understood this loyalty, a human connection that would define the company&rsquo;s early reputation. They promised to deliver a product built from the ground up, with everything engineered in-house in Osijek&mdash;from mechanical and electronics design to optics and firmware&mdash;a rarity in a market often dominated by component assembly. This "Made in Europe" label became a point of pride, distinguishing them from the Asian manufacturers who often cornered the consumer drone market.
<h5>The ORQA Ecosystem</h5>
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/Aw0hIgDjoSHdnIKrzQ339h8h1g2NHdChDqpvYUu7.png" alt="" width="466" height="358" />
While the FPV.One goggles launched ORQA, the company quickly demonstrated that their vision extended far beyond a single piece of hardware. They aimed to develop the entire FPV technology stack, encompassing a full ecosystem of products designed for low-latency, immersive remote control.
<h5>FPV.One Goggles: The Flagship</h5>
The FPV.One series of goggles remains their most recognized product. Designed for FPV racing and freestyle, the initial models were praised for their premium build quality, excellent optics, and intuitive menus. They offered features like a large field-of-view (FOV) and a high-definition DVR recording feature, addressing key pain points for serious pilots. Later iterations, like the <a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://shop.orqafpv.com/collections/goggles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FPV.One Race and FPV.One Pilot</a>, fine-tuned the optics and features for specific pilot needs, showing a consistent effort to respond to community feedback&mdash;a true human touch.
<h5>Expanding the Horizon</h5>
ORQA&rsquo;s product line grew to encompass the full range of FPV necessities:
<ul>
<li><a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://orqafpv.com/products/fpvctrl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Orqa FPV.Ctrl Radio Controller</a>: A dedicated radio controller, often bundled with their proprietary ImmersionRC Ghost RF system, aiming for a complete, integrated flight experience. </li>
<li>Flight Electronics: This includes Flight Controller (FC) and Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) stacks, like the <a href="https://shop.orqafpv.com/collections/20x20">FC2020-F722 HD</a>, proving their vertical integration and ability to make all the "building blocks" of a drone. </li>
<li>ImmersionRC Acquisition: In a significant move in 2022, ORQA acquired ImmersionRC, a pioneering name in FPV electronics. This acquisition immediately integrated cutting-edge RF systems, such as the renowned RapidFIRE receiver module and the Ghost RF system, into the ORQA portfolio. This was not just a business deal; it was a merger of two communities, bringing decades of FPV experience under the European banner.</li>
</ul>
<h5>The Dual-Use Evolution</h5>
Perhaps the most compelling recent shift in the ORQA story is their evolution from a consumer hobbyist brand to a major player in the defense and enterprise sectors. The technology developed for immersive drone racing&mdash;ultra-low latency video, reliable long-range control&mdash;turned out to be exactly what was needed for modern unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in high-stakes environments.
As geopolitical demands for secure, Western-made drone technology increased, ORQA&rsquo;s "Made in Europe" status and full in-house engineering became invaluable. They began adapting their FPV technology to support defense missions, moving from selling goggles to hobbyists to securing major partnerships, such as one with Turkey&rsquo;s Baykar Technologies to potentially integrate ORQA technology into their renowned Bayraktar TB2 UAVs. This pivot was less of a strategic U-turn and more of a realization that their core technology was one of the most consequential defense technologies of the 2020s.
<h5>ORQA&rsquo;s Reputation Precedes Itself</h5>
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/6s0O00yoD3ufeDKmHLLMRUGB4YuM7Ec2iazpa7nJ.png" alt="" width="679" height="479" />
ORQA's reputation is as dynamic as the FPV industry itself, a blend of passionate support, high expectations, and the inevitable challenges of being a pioneer.
<h5>The Highs: Quality and Innovation</h5>
From the beginning, the consensus on ORQA's hardware has been overwhelmingly positive regarding build quality and optics. They delivered on their promise of a premium analog goggle experience that could stand toe-to-toe with established rivals like FatShark. Their commitment to in-house engineering is respected, allowing for faster iteration and a deeper understanding of the technology stack&mdash;something their team of over 30 engineers, physicists, and specialists work on every day. They are seen as the much-needed "Western alternative" to Chinese drone manufacturing, adhering to standards like NDAA compliance, which is crucial for their growing defense clientele.
<h5>The Challenges: The "Vaporware" Shadow</h5>
However, the path of an innovator is rarely smooth. Early on, the company faced criticism for being slow to deliver on promised digital HD video technology, a major shift in the FPV world. This led to a period where some in the consumer community felt ORQA was producing "solid but pricey analog goggles" without the promised upgrades, leading to the dreaded term "vaporware" appearing in online forums. There were also notable, albeit isolated, technical issues, including a public announcement regarding a "bricking incident" that required a swift firmware fix.
The perception shifted significantly, though, as ORQA clearly focused its resources on the more lucrative and mission-critical defense/enterprise market. While this may have meant a slowdown in consumer-facing digital development, it cemented their reputation as a company whose technology is serious enough for the battlefield.
<h5>Community-Driven DNA</h5>
Despite the pivot, the heart of ORQA remains community-driven. They cultivate an innovation-oriented mindset, valuing feedback to refine and enhance their products. Their CEO, Srdjan Kovačević, often speaks with a level of personal engagement that resonates: the company wasn't built to be a defense giant, but grew into one because the world needed their tech. This organic, passionate origin story is what keeps the human element alive in a company now dealing with multi-million dollar funding rounds and global defense contracts.
<h5>The Horizon: The Robotics Revolution</h5>
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/UEWVEjC3mAM5bp46nruIEN7zE8wtWwGYVhPmCNHt.png" alt="" width="681" height="275" />
ORQA is no longer just an FPV goggle company. With significant seed funding led by major investors, they are now positioned as an EU-based drone powerhouse, fully vertically integrated and ready to lead what they call the "Robotic Revolution." Their focus is on enabling FPV for every autonomous and remotely operated vehicle in the world.
From a Kickstarter miracle in a small European city to a strategic partner in the future of unmanned systems, ORQA FPV has proven that passion, combined with rigorous in-house engineering, can disrupt a global industry. They are a profile in ambition, having mastered the intimate, exhilarating connection of the FPV flight experience and now scaling that expertise to some of the world&rsquo;s most demanding applications. The view from their cockpit just got a whole lot wider, and it is a fascinating flight path to watch.

DRONEFILES: ORQA FPV

21 November 2025
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<div class="hSZsuG"><a class="Y2xcL uFqDN" style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.ondas.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-hook="web-link">Ondas Holdings Inc.</a>, a leading provider of autonomous aerial and ground robot intelligence through its Ondas Autonomous Systems&nbsp;business unit and private wireless solutions through Ondas Networks, today announced a $35 million strategic investment in <a href="https://www.pdw.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Performance Drone Works</a>, a veteran-led defense-technology engineer and manufacturer of advanced robotics for mission-critical national security missions. Built upon a heritage of direct combat mission experience, PDW combat robotic systems are designed to address a broad set of critical missions to empower the modern warfighter with targeting capabilities, enhanced surveillance and sensing technology, and force protection at the speed, scale, and agility demanded by today&rsquo;s rapidly evolving threat environment.</div>
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<div data-hook="rcv-block7">PDW is one of the fastest-growing defense technology companies in the United States, with proven operations. This investment is designed to accelerate PDW&rsquo;s rise as the category leader in combat robotics manufactured at scale, while strengthening Ondas&rsquo; position as a premier provider of AI-enabled autonomous defense and security platforms. Together, the companies will seek areas in which to collaborate to benefit the defense of the homeland.</div>
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<div data-hook="rcv-block9">&ldquo;We believe PDW has become one of the most important and trusted aerial robotics companies in the United States, driven by the exceptional leadership of Matt Higgins, General (Ret.) Tony Thomas, Ryan Gury, and their team,&rdquo; said Eric Brock, Ondas CEO &amp; Chairman. &ldquo;Their combat-validated technology, industrial-scale manufacturing, and mission-focused culture set a new standard in our sector. We are proud to partner with and support PDW as they deliver the advanced, high-volume combat robotics that give America&rsquo;s warfighters a decisive operational advantage.&rdquo;</div>
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<div data-hook="rcv-block11">As global conflict reshapes military doctrine and defense spending, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) have emerged as a key defining asset of modern combat operations. Militaries are rapidly exchanging expensive legacy platform capabilities for high-volume, lower-cost systems capable of delivering effects at scale.</div>
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<div data-hook="rcv-block11">PDW is uniquely positioned to meet this moment. Driven by an operator-first engineering philosophy and unmatched battlefield expertise, the company designs and builds combat robotics specifically tailored to the evolving demands of elite warfighters. With a proven track record at the forefront of aerial innovation, PDW delivers advanced capabilities that front-line forces need and trust.</div>
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<div data-hook="rcv-block11">"The pace of change due to technological advances in the nature of warfare over my four decades of experience has been extraordinary, but we are now in the formative stages of transformative technological development which may revolutionize our approaches to military operations and security writ large,&rdquo; said General (Ret.) Tony Thomas III, PDW&rsquo;s Chairman of the Board and former Commander, USSOCOM. &ldquo;AI enabled combat robotics are emerging as the new and incredibly disruptive means of war fighting/winning and deterrence."</div>
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<div data-hook="rcv-block11">&ldquo;We&rsquo;re proud to be partnering with Ondas, to continue to accelerate the next generation of defense,&rdquo; said Ryan Gury, PDW CEO. &ldquo;Together, we plan to deliver at scale the combat robotics America needs to win.&rdquo;</div>
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<div data-hook="rcv-block11">With this new investment from Ondas, PDW plans to:</div>
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Scale Production:&nbsp;Accelerate manufacturing and delivery to meet increasing demand for the C100 and AM-FPV platforms.
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Significantly Increase Engineering Headcount:&nbsp;Expand capacity to accelerate product development and meet rising requirements across autonomy, payloads, and systems integration.
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Acquire Critical Components: Continue to expand and fortify PDW&rsquo;s domestically secure, NDAA-compliant supply chain.
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<div data-hook="rcv-block26">PDW&rsquo;s most recent contract is a $20.9 million award from the U.S. Army to supply its C100 UAS and Multi-Mission Payloads (MMP) in support of the Army's &lsquo;Transformation in Contact&rsquo; (TiC) initiative.</div>
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<h5 id="viewer-ywp3q471" class="IFLJx f1-1G rHGk5 sDlj2" dir="auto">About Ondas Holdings Inc.</h5>
Ondas Holdings Inc. is a leading provider of autonomous systems and private wireless solutions through its business units Ondas Autonomous Systems (OAS), Ondas Capital and Ondas Networks. Ondas&rsquo; technologies offer a powerful combination of aerial intelligence and next-generation connectivity to enhance security, operational efficiency, and data-driven decision-making across essential industries.
OAS delivers a portfolio of AI-powered defense and security platforms that are deployed globally to safeguard sensitive locations, populations, and infrastructure. Through its subsidiaries American Robotics, Airobotics, and Apeiro Motion, OAS offers the Optimus System&mdash;the first U.S. FAA-certified small UAS for automated aerial security and data capture&mdash;the Iron Drone Raider&mdash;an autonomous counter-UAS platform&mdash;and Apeiro&rsquo;s advanced ground robotics and tethered UAV systems, supported by innovative navigation and communications technologies.
Ondas Capital plans to combine advisory services and strategic investment management services to accelerate the rapid scaling and global deployment of unmanned and autonomous systems to Allied defense and security markets. 
Ondas Networks provides software-defined wireless broadband technology through its FullMAX platform, based on the IEEE 802.16t standard. This standards-based system delivers high-performance connectivity for mission-critical IoT applications in markets such as rail, utilities, oil and gas, transportation, and government.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
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<h5 data-hook="rcv-block35">About PDW</h5>
<div data-hook="rcv-block44">PDW manufactures advanced robotic systems for front-line forces operating in rapidly evolving threat environments. Its platforms include advanced unmanned aircraft, mission software, training platforms, and resilient communications and navigation systems. Founded by combat veterans and drone engineers, PDW has a proven track record at the forefront of aerial innovation. It delivers secure, reliable, NDAA-compliant technology trusted by military, government, and public safety agencies worldwide.</div>
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