Verified Events
DateTypeCompanyHeadlineSegment
ANRA and other UAS developers receive FAA research awards under $12 million programme
- ANRA’s four listed projects cover air-taxi integration, common altitude references, airport traffic-system integration and AI drone classification.
- Other work includes ground and airborne detect-and-avoid, satellite communications, drone identity, passive radar and mission coordination.
- Recipients will work with FAA-designated UAS Test Sites through the UAS Broad Agency Announcement programme.
Joby Aviation receives $45M AFWERX contract ceiling increase
- The modification applies to contract FA2280-24-D-0001 and raises available contract capacity rather than recording immediate revenue.
- No funding was obligated at award; funding can be placed through later orders under the contract.
- Work is scheduled in Santa Cruz, California, through March 1, 2029.
Merlin shifts civil autonomy certification strategy to large aircraft
- The phased strategy reuses technical and regulatory work from Merlin’s New Zealand programme.
- Merlin has completed preliminary and critical design reviews for its USSOCOM C-130J autonomy programme.
- The C-130J programme carries more than $100 million in aggregate IDIQ ceiling value; New Zealand remains a flight-test and demonstration base.
Merlin receives New Zealand Part 146 design-organization certificate
- The approval internalizes design-signoff work that previously had to pass through outside design organizations.
- The certificate is organizational and is not limited to one aircraft or programme.
- Delegated scope must still be agreed with the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand for each certification project.
Near Earth Autonomy and Moog sign cockpit-autonomy integration MOU
- The proposed architecture combines Near Earth’s CAPTAIN autonomous-pilot system and RUC aircraft with Moog cockpit displays, communications and controls.
- The parties target fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, manual-to-autonomous transitions and missions ranging from search and rescue to cargo resupply.
- The programme builds on prior UH-60L Black Hawk and RUC-60 work and establishes a framework for domestic and international opportunities.
Joby Aviation agrees to acquire Resonant Sciences for about $500 million
- Resonant Sciences is EBITDA-positive and supports active U.S. national-security programmes across radio-frequency sensing and signal processing.
- The transaction adds classified infrastructure, qualified products, scaled production operations and established government-customer relationships to Joby.
- Closing is targeted for the first half of 2027, subject to regulatory approvals and customary conditions.
Joby Aviation establishes $750 million at-the-market equity programme
- Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan, Allen & Company and BofA Securities are acting as sales agents.
- Sales may be made at Joby's discretion under its effective Form S-3 shelf registration and the 11 August prospectus supplement.
- Potential uses include certification, manufacturing, commercial operations and acquisitions or strategic investments.
Merlin Pilot reaches SOI 3 in New Zealand certification programme
- SOI 3 confirms that the software has been tested and verified against the requirements agreed for the Part 23 certification programme.
- Merlin and the regulator also concluded an issue paper defining the certification approach and evidence required for AI/ML-based natural-language processing.
- The programme is being conducted with CAANZ in coordination with the U.S. FAA under a bilateral aviation-safety agreement.
Vertical Aerospace and Near Earth sign Valo autonomy MOU
- The intended integration would combine Near Earth autonomous-flight products with Valo’s Honeywell Anthem digital cockpit.
- The parties plan to pursue near-term uncrewed defence opportunities and a longer-term roadmap for increasingly automated commercial operations.
- The agreement is an MOU and the integration, certification and future commercial use remain forward-looking.
Joby and Toyota launch strategic manufacturing alliance
- The alliance applies Toyota production methods to manufacturing Joby's electric air taxi at commercial scale.
- Toyota engineers are working alongside Joby teams on factory layout, process planning and production-system development.
- Electric aircraft and air-taxi company with piloted commercial and autonomous defence programmes.
ANRA reports 55,000 commercial BVLOS drone operations per month
- The company quantified live operational volume at more than 1,800 commercial drone operations per day.
- ANRA named use cases including drone delivery, utility inspection, public safety and enterprise drone operations.
- Operators listed for ANRA-enabled infrastructure include Amazon Prime Air, DoorDash, Manna Drone Delivery, Matternet and New York Power Authority.
Skyryse and Robinson Unmanned partner on SkyOS-powered R66 UAS
- The programme targets ISR, manned-unmanned teaming, air-launched effects and collaborative combat aircraft missions.
- Robinson contributes its R66 production base while Skyryse supplies the SkyOS aviation-automation system.
ARK Electronics launches ARKV6S flight controller
- The controller uses a 480 MHz STM32H743 processor and a built-in 1 W sensor heater.
- FRAM and a microSD slot provide onboard storage.
- It ships with PX4 Autopilot and can also run ArduPilot.
ARK Electronics expands U.S. manufacturing facility
- The expanded site increases manufacturing capacity by five times.
- The facility supports production of drone and robotic components.
- ARK Electronics keeps design and manufacturing in the United States for NDAA-compliant products.
Near Earth Autonomy wins MARV-EL Marine Corps logistics-drone contract
- Naval Air Systems Command has awarded Near Earth Autonomy the Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary Logistics (MARV-EL) Increment 2 program.
- The team’s Uncrewed 505 platform pairs Near Earth’s Captain autonomy with the Bell 505 airframe and Moog’s Genesys avionics.
United Airlines Ventures invests in Airhart Aeronautics avionics
- United Airlines Ventures invested in Airhart Aeronautics as Airhart moved toward initial customer installs for its digital cockpit avionics suite.
- Airhart said the first stage of its advanced avionics system was available to order.
- The platform combines touchscreen displays, a sidestick, synthetic vision, autopilot and fly-by-wire architecture for light aircraft.
NAVAIR selects Near Earth for uncrewed ship-to-shore autonomy
- The program targets GPS-denied and communications-degraded UAS logistics operations.
- It is a contract-award event tied to NAVAIR and U.S. Marine Corps logistics needs.
uAvionix launches ping978EC for UK BVLOS UAS operators
- The product targets UK CAA electronic conspicuity compliance for UAS operations.
- The transceiver is part of uAvionix's detect-and-avoid and BVLOS airspace-awareness portfolio.
- The product gives uAvionix a concrete offering for unmanned aircraft, air mobility or counter-drone operations.
Skyryse raises over US$300M Series C
- Autopilot Ventures and Fidelity Management & Research Company led the round.
- ArrowMark Partners, Atreides Management, BAM Elevate, Baron Capital, Durable Capital, Positive Sum, QIA, RCM Private Markets Fund and Woodline Partners participated.
- Skyryse said the capital would advance FAA certification and expand SkyOS integrations across helicopters, airplanes and defense platforms.
ARK Electronics launches NDAA-compliant G5 RTK GPS modules
- The modules are Made in USA and NDAA compliant.
- The ARK G5 RTK Heading GPS provides dual-antenna heading capability.
- Both modules support Pixhawk Standard CAN interfaces.
ARK Electronics announces availability of X20 RTK GPS
- The module uses the u-blox ZED-X20P all-band GNSS receiver.
- Its output rate is 25 Hz with all constellations enabled.
uAvionix and OneSky integrate FlightLine ADS-B into UTM
- The integration adds ADS-B airspace-awareness data to UAS traffic management workflows.
- OneSky is the named UTM platform partner.
ARK Electronics introduces DIST SR and DIST MR UAV range sensors
- The DIST SR and DIST MR modules target precise rangefinding in demanding UAV operations.
- The sensors support UAV and robotics communication standards for integration into unmanned systems.
- ARK positioned the modules as compact, USA-built sensing options for short- and mid-range applications.
Dubai appoints ANRA to build next-generation UTM platform
- The platform is intended to manage drone traffic coordination across Dubai's Control Traffic Area.
- ANRA described capabilities including flight approvals, real-time monitoring, conflict detection and stakeholder coordination.
- This is a named airspace-management contract, not a generic market signal.
uAvionix FlightLine enters VOTIX DFR platform
- FlightLine supplies cooperative-aircraft traffic data.
- VOTIX incorporated the service into its DFR operating platform.
- The integration targets safer remotely operated and automated public-safety flights.
ARK Electronics introduces 4IN1 ESC CONS for high-volume drone production
- The ESC is U.S.-made, NDAA-compliant and connectorized to reduce soldering in drone assembly.
- The product targets scalable multirotor UAV production and field-maintenance workflows.
- ARK positioned the controller for high-performance, modular and compliant drone builds.
Joby selects Aspen Avionics NexNav Mini for its eVTOL aircraft
- NexNav Mini will provide position, velocity and precise-time data to Joby's vehicle navigation computer.
- The receiver is authorized to FAA TSO-C204 Class Beta 1 for high-integrity GPS-SBAS positioning.
- The integration extends NexNav Mini from established general and business aviation use into an eVTOL urban-air-mobility platform.
Joby moves first FAA-conforming aircraft into final assembly
- The aircraft is intended for Type Inspection Authorization flight tests with FAA pilots.
- Moving it into final assembly advanced the conforming-aircraft build required for FAA for-credit testing.
- Electric aircraft and air-taxi company with piloted commercial and autonomous defence programmes.
Joby begins piloted eVTOL flight work in Dubai
- Joby began piloted vertical-takeoff, landing and wingborne flights in Dubai as part of its commercial-readiness campaign.
- The work supported planned air-taxi operations with Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority and aviation regulators.
- Electric aircraft and air-taxi company with piloted commercial and autonomous defence programmes.
Near Earth completes autonomous AW139 flight for USMC ALC
- The AW139 flew without an onboard pilot or remote-operator input during the test.
- The flight advanced Near Earth's autonomous-helicopter programme toward operational deployment.
ARK Electronics unveils Just a Jetson carrier series
- The series is built around NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX and Nano modules.
- It supports direct battery input up to 75V and includes a built-in IMU.
- ARK offers carrier-only and bundled Jetson-plus-SSD configurations for robotics and UAV integration.
FAA approves SkyOS for for-credit flight testing
- For-credit testing is the formal flight-verification phase used to generate evidence accepted by the FAA certification programme.
- Skyryse One integrates SkyOS into a Robinson R66 with a single control stick, two touchscreens and fly-by-wire flight controls.
- The company said the first Skyryse One edition had sold out within six months; the 2026 shipment timing remained a company schedule rather than a completed delivery.
U.S. Army selects Near Earth and Honeywell for autonomous Black Hawk retrofit
- The program retrofits UH-60L helicopters with modular autonomy kits for contested logistics.
- Honeywell is the named technology partner for advanced flight capabilities.
ARK Electronics releases M.2 LTE module for Jetson robotics platforms
- The module uses an M.2 Key E 2230 form factor for embedded systems.
- ARK designed regional variants for North America, EMEA and APAC LTE networks.
- The module integrates with ARK Jetson PAB Carrier and Just a Jetson platform workflows.
ARK Electronics launches ARK Flow MR optical-flow sensor
- ARK Flow MR upgrades the earlier ARK Flow module with optical-flow and time-of-flight distance sensing.
- The module supports DroneCAN, PX4, ArduPilot and ROS2 workflows.
- ARK positioned the sensor for indoor, tunnel and other GPS-denied UAV operations.
ANRA wins VTT tender for Finland U-space services
- ANRA Technologies won a VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland tender to deliver U-space services using its Noon UTM platform.
- ANRA said it would provide flight authorization, geo-awareness, network ID and traffic-information services for Finnish U-space work.
- The award connects ANRA Noon to research, commercial and public-safety drone operations in Finland.
FAA validates ANRA UTM services for scalable drone operations
- The FAA validation checked ANRA's UTM services against ASTM F3548-21 interoperability requirements.
- ANRA positioned the approval as support for BVLOS waiver and COA applications by drone operators.
- This is regulatory infrastructure progress, not a single deployment site.
Toyota and Joby complete first air taxi flight in Japan
- The flight was Joby's first air-taxi demonstration in Japan and took place at Toyota's Higashi-Fuji Technical Center.
- The demonstration supported Joby's Japan market work with Toyota and local aviation stakeholders.
- Electric aircraft and air-taxi company with piloted commercial and autonomous defence programmes.
Toyota commits additional $500 million investment in Joby
- Toyota committed an additional $500 million, bringing its total planned investment in Joby to $894 million.
- The agreement also advanced a manufacturing alliance that applies Toyota production expertise to Joby's aircraft scale-up.
Rhoman Aerospace receives $1.8M USAF STTR for maritime GPS-denied autonomy
- The $1,799,600 STTR Phase II award began on August 28, 2024 under contract FA8649-24-P-1112.
- Rhoman and the Naval Postgraduate School are adapting vision-based alternative navigation for maritime, coastal and open-water environments.
- The program plans flight demonstrations on Firestorm Labs and Insitu UAV platforms and delivery of a modular hardware prototype.
Rhoman Aerospace receives $1.9M USAF SBIR for global GPS-denied autonomy
- The $1.9 million SBIR Phase II award began on August 1, 2024 under contract FA2541-24-C-B018.
- The project covers a modular alternative-positioning payload using star tracking, ambient signal sensing, sensor fusion and NVIDIA compute.
- The planned demonstrations include a supersonic sub-scale UAV, with compatibility extending to Group II-IV UAV, surface vehicles and ground vehicles.
uAvionix FlightLine Surveillance Services Demonstrated Within Volant Autonomy’s Integrated Traffic Management
- The technical configuration includes FlightLine surveillance service.
- The work is scoped to Project ALIAS traffic-management demonstration.
- The evidence covers a bounded demonstration rather than a fleet-wide deployment.
Joby signs Abu Dhabi electric air taxi ecosystem agreement
- The agreement brought Joby together with Abu Dhabi mobility, economic-development and tourism agencies to establish an electric air-taxi ecosystem.
- It expanded Joby's UAE commercialisation path beyond its existing Dubai operating agreement.
- Electric aircraft and air-taxi company with piloted commercial and autonomous defence programmes.
Joby completes third stage of FAA type certification process
- Completing stage three moved Joby into the fourth of five FAA type-certification stages.
- Joby completed 30 for-credit tests covering flight electronics and structural materials during the preceding quarter.
- Electric aircraft and air-taxi company with piloted commercial and autonomous defence programmes.
Airspace Link approved to provide FAA B4UFLY services
- Airspace Link received FAA approval to provide B4UFLY safety features through AirHub Portal.
- The approval added B4UFLY safety information to Airspace Link's FAA-approved LAANC service role.
- AirHub Portal gives drone pilots airspace awareness and authorization tools for controlled airspace operations.
Rhoman Aerospace receives Navy SBIR for GPS-denied aerial logistics
- The $173,450 Navy SBIR Phase I award began on January 18, 2024 under contract N68335-24-C-0173.
- The project combined Rhoman's GPS-denied navigation, precision landing and detect-and-avoid technology with a production-ready logistics UAV.
- Workhorse and ANRA Technologies were named as platform and fleet-management partners for the demonstration effort.
mRo Quad Zero packages an H7 autopilot in a sub-250 g development drone
- The kit used mRo's Control Zero H7 OEM flight controller with support for both ArduPilot and PX4.
- Its package combined the frame, motors, carrier board, GPS, radio receiver and 2S battery needed for assembly.
- The California-built platform was marketed for development, education and programmable light-show applications.
uAvionix Awarded Contract as Primary Systems Integrator for Skyway UAS Range in Tulsa
- The technical configuration includes SkyLine C2 and detect-and-avoid systems integration.
- The work is scoped to Skyway UAS Range near Tulsa.
- The announcement identifies a named and bounded programme or configuration.
Joby delivers first eVTOL aircraft to Edwards Air Force Base
- The aircraft began flying at Edwards Air Force Base under Joby's AFWERX Agility Prime contract.
- On-base operations covered logistics missions including cargo and passenger transport and gave the Air Force early operating experience with eVTOL aircraft.
Joby selects Dayton site for scaled eVTOL manufacturing facility
- The Dayton facility was designed to support production of up to 500 aircraft per year.
- Joby outlined up to $500 million of investment and as many as 2,000 jobs at the Ohio site.
Kongsberg Geospatial Integrates uAvionix FlightLine truSky ADS-B Data for IRIS Terminal Customers
- The technical configuration includes FlightLine truSky ADS-B feed.
- The work is scoped to optional IRIS Terminal sensor feed.
- The programme remained forward-looking at announcement.
Joby launches production and receives permit to fly production-line aircraft
- The aircraft was built on Joby's pilot production line in Marina, California.
- The same aircraft was expected to move to Edwards Air Force Base under Joby's Agility Prime work with the U.S. Air Force.
Rhoman Aerospace receives USAF SBIR for night-time GPS-denied UAV autonomy
- The $74,724 SBIR Phase I award began on May 5, 2023 under contract FA8649-23-P-0852.
- Rhoman's vision-based navigation work targeted no-emit UAV autonomy in unmapped, GPS-denied terrain.
- The project adapted the system for night operation on a Teal Golden Eagle UAV for USSOCOM.
Joby and Toyota sign long-term component supply agreement
- Toyota will manufacture Joby-designed powertrain and actuation components under a signed long-term supply agreement.
- Components will go to Joby's San Carlos powertrain and electronics facility before completed assemblies are shipped to the Marina pilot production line.
- The agreement extends Toyota's production collaboration with Joby, which included helping design the Marina pilot line and applying Toyota Production System practices.
Delta and Joby partner on home-to-airport air taxi service
- Delta made a $60 million upfront equity investment in Joby, with potential expansion to $200 million tied to milestones.
- The companies planned an integrated home-to-airport service for Delta customers, beginning in New York and Los Angeles.
Airspace Link raises $23M Series B for drone safety infrastructure
- Avanta Ventures led the round, with Morningside, Caprock, Altos Ventures, Indicator Ventures, 2048 Ventures, Detroit Venture Partners and Thales Group participating.
- The company said the funding would support SDSP and USS capabilities, global services and FAA partnership programs.
Joby receives FAA Part 135 air carrier certificate
- The certificate lets Joby operate as an air carrier while it continues aircraft type certification.
- Part 135 is one of the core FAA approvals needed before Joby can launch passenger service with its eVTOL aircraft.
DC Capital Partners acquires uAvionix
- uAvionix was described as DCCP portfolio company.
- CEO Paul Beard said the transaction would help uAvionix scale globally.
- The company continued to serve general aviation and unmanned-aircraft safety products.
Kaman invests USD 10M in Near Earth Autonomy
- The minority investment gave Kaman a board seat at Near Earth Autonomy.
- The collaboration focused on autonomous solutions for next-generation aviation.
- The capital supports commercial automation and autonomous-system workflows as Kaman moves toward broader commercial use.
uAvionix to Deliver SkyLine Managed C2 Capability with NMSU at NM UAS Flight Test Site
- The technical configuration includes SkyLine managed command-and-control platform.
- The work is scoped to NMSU UAS Flight Test Site.
- The announcement documents a historical programme milestone.
ping200X receives FAA TSO certification
- The certification covers the exact ping200X transponder for Mode S and 1090 MHz ADS-B Out operation.
- The 45–50 gram avionics unit was developed for integration into unmanned aircraft with constrained size, weight and power budgets.
- Certification supports use of ping200X in controlled-airspace integrations requiring recognised surveillance avionics.
Joby announces NYSE listing through Reinvent Technology Partners merger
- The transaction valued the combined company at $6.6 billion and was expected to provide $1.6 billion in gross proceeds.
- The capital was intended to support aircraft certification, manufacturing and launch of Joby's commercial air-taxi service.
Joby selects Garmin G3000 flight deck
- Garmin’s long-term agreement covers a tailored G3000 integrated flight deck for Joby’s all-electric air taxi.
- The modular flight deck combines high-resolution displays, navigation, communications and flight-sensor functions with tight mission-computer integration and an upgradeable architecture.
- At the announcement, Joby described a piloted aircraft for four passengers with a stated range of up to 150 miles and cruise speed of 200 mph.
Toray becomes Joby prepreg carbon-fibre supplier
- Joby cited the materials’ specific strength and toughness as enabling structural performance at low mass.
- Toray supplies qualified aerospace thermoset and thermoplastic composite systems rather than designing the aircraft.
- The agreement placed Toray inside Joby’s continuing aircraft manufacturing supply chain.
uAvionix partners with CubePilot on ADS-B IN carrier-board integration
- Integration added uAvionix custom ADS-B silicon for 1090-MHz ADS-B reception.
- The carrier board targeted detect-and-avoid functionality for UAS operations.
- CubePilot retained support for PingRX, Ping2020i and Ping1090i products.
mRo x2.1 autopilot reaches fielded fixed-wing use
- The board used separate power regulation and a dedicated input-output processor to preserve control if the main processor failed.
- Its 31.5 mm-wide design supported a standard 30.5 mm flight-controller mounting pattern while retaining Pixhawk-class functions.
- The autopilot ran ArduPilot or PX4 and supported stabilization, logging, return-to-launch and autonomous missions.