Cybersecurity

Coast Guard plans drone intercept program

The U.S. Coast Guard is developing a counter-drone capability to protect both its own locations and to guard protected assets under special circumstances as provided for under a recent law.

Acquisition

DOD looks to expand drone industrial base amid supply chain concerns

Ellen Lord, DOD’s undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment, told reporters that it couldn’t use commercially available and popular drones made by DJI, a China-based firm.

Digital Government

Chinese drone maker tries to quell talk of data siphoning

DJI's U.S. operation tells lawmakers its technology is secure and is approved for use by state, local and federal agencies.

Digital Government

U.S. geospatial data could flow to China via drones

Experts and public officials warned lawmakers at a Senate hearing of the risks in China's increasing dominance in low-cost unmanned aerial vehicles.

Digital Government

FAA moves ahead on commercial drones

The aviation agency issues two significant approvals for commercial unmanned aircraft.

Cybersecurity

DOJ charges former intel contractor with drone leaks

Daniel Everette Hale, a former Leidos contractor, is charged with passing a series of classified documents related to U.S. drone warfare and counterterrorism policy to a reporter.

Modernization

Can battlefield drones spot threats to troops?

Army Lt. Col. Philip Root, the acting deputy director for DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office, explains how the DOD plans to operationalize autonomous systems, forever changing the human-machine relationship.

Modernization

Army lab builds AI robots for situational awareness

The Army Research Laboratory is tinkering with unmanned AI-driven robots that can scan a scene for enhanced warfighter awareness.

Digital Government

DOD looks to counter drone swarm strikes

The Defense Innovation Unit wants to hear from industry about tech to identify and mitigate drones threatening military installations.

Modernization

Wanted: Autonomous vehicle tech for mail delivery

The Postal Service wants information about sensor, guidance and operational technologies as well as expertise on testing and integrating the autonomous vehicle tech into its existing fleet.

Digital Government

FAA cracks down on rogue drones

The Federal Aviation Administration is taking a hard line with drone operators whose aircraft enter disaster areas and other prohibited airspace.

Cybersecurity

Congress looks to arm DHS, DOJ against drones

A bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration gives two federal agencies the authority to intercept and destroy threatening drone aircraft.

Digital Government

FAA drone tracker launches nationwide

The FAA completed the rollout of a nationwide real-time drone operations authorization system.

Modernization

Nielsen pushes CISA, drone authorities

The Homeland Security chief called on Congress to operationalize its cyber arm and give the agency the authority to defend critical infrastructure against drones.

Digital Government

GSA adds drone countermeasures to security schedule

The General Services Administration has added anti-drone technology to its product menu for federal, state and local law enforcement, first responders and agencies, but aviation and legal experts urge discretion.

Cybersecurity

Lawmakers seek answers on possible drone threat

Technology for detecting and disabling unmanned systems that threaten U.S. facilities and assets requires more testing, witnesses told a Senate panel.

Digital Government

Army secretary wants robot vehicles on the battlefield by 2028

It's not Skynet yet, but Army Secretary Mark Esper says robotics will change the fundamentals of warfare and that getting there first provides a distinct advantage.

Digital Government

NASA wants predictive analytics for drone-crash casualties

The agency is asking for risk management and decision-making tools that can help it accurately estimate the deaths and injuries caused by a drone that crashes into a populated area.

Digital Government

ID, traffic management next up for drones

Remote ID capabilities and a low-altitude traffic management system are the next building blocks for drone integration into U.S. airspace, the FAA director told Congress.

Cybersecurity

DHS seeks drones to patrol the border

The DHS technology directorate wants to test small drones and their onboard sensors in a variety of security scenarios.