drones Archives

The 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment and the Threat Systems Management Office push a swarm of 40 drones through the town during the battle of Razish, National Training Center on May 8th, 2019. (U.S. Army Photo by Pv2 James Newsome)

Army wants AI tech to help manage airspace operations

The Army released an RFI Wednesday as it looks for potential solutions.

4 days ago By Jon Harper

WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 03: U.S. Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) sits on the steps outside the U.S. Capitol during the procedural vote on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on July 03, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

California lawmaker looks to curb agencies from using military drones to surveil protesters

Rep. Jimmy Gomez wants to keep federal agencies from using certain military drones to surveil protests.

5 days ago By Brandi Vincent

Members of the 926th Wing receive a briefing while attending a tour of the 726th Operations Group at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, February 27, 2025. The immersion focuses on the mission of the reservists who fly the MQ-9 Reaper, a Remotely Piloted Aircraft with the primary mission of locating and destroying time-critical and highly mobile targets while also providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. ( (U.S. Air Force photo by Mr. Rainier Lunizo, 2025)

New bill aims to expand combat drone pilots’ access to benefits, mental health care

The Senate Armed Services Committee proposed legislation that would formally recognize off-site drone pilots involved in combat missions.

Jul 18, 2025 By Brandi Vincent

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Emil Michael tour multi-domain autonomous displays in the courtyard of the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., July 16, 2025. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza)

Pentagon seeks to surge its multi-domain drone arsenal

During an event in the Pentagon courtyard, DOD leaders shared new details about near-term plans to quickly and drastically enhance the military’s drone arsenal.

Jul 16, 2025 By Brandi Vincent

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth hosts a drone demonstration at the Pentagon, July 10, 2025. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Isaac Llanez Delgado)

Hegseth directive on ‘unleashing U.S. military drone dominance’ includes deadlines for major overhauls

Hegseth referred to uncrewed systems as “the biggest battlefield innovation in a generation.”

Jul 10, 2025 By Jon Harper

A U.S. Marine Corps XQ-58A Valkyrie, highly autonomous, tactical unmanned air vehicle, soars overhead during its second test flight at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Feb. 23, 2023. The XQ-58A Valkyrie test flight and the data collected inform future requirements for the Marine Corps. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. John McRell)

Marine Corps requests more funding for collaborative combat aircraft development

Details about plans for the CCA effort were included in fiscal 2026 budget justification documents.

Jul 9, 2025 By Jon Harper

U.S. Soldiers assigned to 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment guide a Stryker into concealment during Project Flytrap at Joint Multinational Readiness Center, Hohenfels Training Area, Hohenfels, Germany, June 20, 2025. The Soldiers mounted an EchoShield cognitive radar above the Stryker, which detected frequencies of nearby drones and provided ground-force Soldiers with real-time location data on their end-user devices. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Elijah Magaña)

Army maturing counter-drone command and control architecture at Project Flytrap exercise

The Army's C5ISR Center is working with industry to integrate counter-UAS sensors to a C2 architecture mounted on vehicles to enable on-the-move detection and defeat of drones.

Jul 9, 2025 By Mark Pomerleau

Sgt. Lucero Martinez, an unmanned aircraft systems operator, assigned to Detachment 1, Delta Company, 545th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, helps launch an unmanned aircraft system during a UAS exercise on June 12, 2025 at Camp Gruber Training Center, Oklahoma. The exercise, hosted by the 45th IBCT and featured numerous UAS and counter-UAS systems, focused on preparing infantry Soldiers to react to UAS threats. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Spc. Cambrie Cannon)

What Trump’s order on ‘unleashing American drone dominance’ means for the U.S. military

DefenseScoop asked national security experts to weigh in on the directive.

Jul 8, 2025 By Brandi Vincent

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Bryan Deel, Combat Engineer, Team 2330, 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade, reacts to a complex assault, using a Dronebuster to neutralize an enemy drone, during Operation Combined Victory (OCV) on Muscatatuck Training Center, Indiana, Feb. 10, 2024. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jonathan D. Vitale)

DOD creating joint interagency counter-drone task force

The Army will lead a new interagency office tasked with developing joint solutions to defeat unmanned aerial vehicles.

Jul 2, 2025 By Mark Pomerleau

U.S. Soldiers from various units across Europe launch a Switchblade 600 during Loitering Munitions Training at the Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Nov. 5, 2024. This was the first time U.S. Soldiers launched Switchblade 600s, a loitering munition system, in Europe. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. Cody Nelson)

Army’s fiscal 2026 budget proposal aims to equip infantry brigades with more kamikaze drones

The request for additional loitering munitions comes as officials are undertaking a new Army Transformation Initiative to modernize the force for future high-tech combat.

Jun 27, 2025 By Jon Harper