Defense One reports, “The Navy’s drone tanker, the MQ-25A Stingray, is cleared for low-rate initial production—just weeks after a production-ready model took its first flight. “MQ-25 reached Milestone C, which is huge because now we have inflight refueling that is unmanned…it’s a great capability,” Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said at the end of an hourslong Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday.”
Full Story (Defense One)
Tag: Drone
Next-Gen Supersonic Platform Targets Evolving Missile and Drone Threats
The Defense Post reports, “SNC and Specter Aerospace are entering the high-speed arena with next-gen supersonic aerial effects, designed to counter hypersonic missiles and drone swarm threats. Company officials said the system will offer greater range than current alternatives, extending operational reach and enabling more effective mission execution.”
Full Story (Defense Post)
ParaZero’s DefendAir Intercepts Drone Traveling 70 mph in Live Test
Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “ParaZero Technologies Ltd. has successfully intercepted a fast-moving drone traveling at 70mph during internal live testing of its DefendAir system. The trial utilized patented net-launching technology to achieve the first-ever successful net-based interception of an aerial threat at such high speeds for the company.”
Full Story (Unmanned Systems Technology)
Prime Air Drone Falls in Residential Area During Texas Test Operations
Aerotime reports, “An Amazon Prime Air delivery drone made contact with an apartment building in Richardson, Texas, before breaking apart and crashing to the ground, according to local authorities and shown in video recorded by a nearby resident. The incident occurred on February 4, 2026, in a residential area where Amazon has been conducting limited drone delivery operations.”
Full Story (Aerotime)
Marine Corps Unveils First NDAA-Approved 3D-Printed UAS
Defense News reports, “The U.S. Marine Corps has pioneered a 3D-printed first-person view drone that is easy to assemble, ready for field use and conforms to national security standards. Sgt. Henry David Volpe, an automotive technician with the 2nd Marine Logistics Group, used his interest in engineering and robotics to help develop HANX, the Marine Corps’ first unmanned aircraft system built from 3D-printed parts to be approved by the National Defense Authorization Act, service officials announced last month.”
Full Story (Defense News)
Mississippi State University Testing Aurora’s Tactical eVTOL Drone to Aid First Responders
Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “Researchers at Mississippi State University’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory are flying Aurora Flight Sciences drone, SKIRON-X, as part of a project designed to assist first responders. The Raspet Flight Research Laboratory is leading a groundbreaking initiative to advance Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for emergency response operations Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS). Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing company, provided its Group 2 UAS, SKIRON-X, as the project’s test platform.”
Full Story (Unmanned Systems Technology)
AURA AERO Unveils French Alternative to Reaper Drone
Aerotime reports, “Toulouse-based aircraft manufacturer AURA AERO has unveiled ENBATA, a new “low-cost high-performance” MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) drone, marking its formal entry into the defense sector. The news was first reported by OpexNews in an exclusive interview with AURA AERO CEO and co-founder Jérémy Caussade.”
Full Story (Aerotime)
Rotor Demos World’s Largest Crop-Spraying Drone During Ag Aviation Expo
Flying Magazine reports, “Manufacturer Rotor Technologies this week flew its R550 Sprayhawk—which it calls the largest spray drone in the world—at Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport (KAFW) during the National Agricultural Aviation Association’s (NAAA) Ag Aviation Expo in Fort Worth, Texas. FLYING was on the scene to capture the remotely piloted demonstration, part of the launch of the 2025 model Sprayhawk.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Video
Rotor Technologies’ Sprayhawk
(Farms.com; YouTube)
Skydweller Aero Completes Testing on Drone Equipped with Solar Panels
Gagadget.com reports, “Skydweller Aero has completed testing of the Skydweller drone equipped with solar panels. The test campaign was initiated as part of the Joint Concept for Technology Demonstration (JCTD) of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defence for Research and Development (OUSD R&E). The test was also supported by the aviation unit of the US Navy Air Warfare Centre (NAWCAD).”
Full Story (Gagadget.com)
Video
Skydweller Completes First Autonomous Flight
(Skydweller Aero; YouTube)
FAA Approves BVLOS Flights for Zipline Cargo Drones
Aviation Week reports that the FAA “has authorized Zipline International to perform beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flights of its cargo drones.” The company, which “is a Part 135 operator, is now authorized by the regulator to deliver commercial packages using its UAV and a parachute.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)