AI News

The War Zone

Ukraine’s StarGate drone completes two battlefield casualty evacuations in a week, including a mission under Russian electronic

Ukraine’s purpose-built aerial casualty evacuation platform reportedly carried out two battlefield evacuations in one week, including one while facing Russian electronic warfare. The missions offer a concrete operational test of drone-based CASEVAC in a contested environment, though the report provides no further details on the aircraft or outcomes.

FlightGlobal

Indian Naval Academy develops maritime rescue drones as Baykar completes Kalkan sea trials

Two separate developments point to expanding maritime UAV roles: an Indian Naval Academy team has designed an autonomous quadcopter for search and a hexacopter to deliver lifebuoys, while Baykar says its Kalkan VTOL UAV has completed its first at-sea flight tests. The reports provide no further performance or deployment details.

Breaking Defense

Defense drone priorities shift toward autonomy and mission-ready capabilities

Two articles examine how defense drone requirements are changing, highlighting autonomy and the capabilities needed to meet evolving military missions. Together, they frame unmanned systems as a rapidly developing area of defense technology, with the challenge extending beyond individual platforms to scaling useful capabilities for operational needs.

APEX

PXCom to showcase turnkey inflight connectivity, onboard AI and SkyVerse platform

At APEX FTE EXPO 2026, PXCom plans to present a turnkey inflight connectivity offering alongside onboard AI capabilities and its SkyVerse digital platform. The announcement combines connectivity and digital services in a single showcase, but the available information does not detail product specifications, customers or deployment plans.

SpaceWatch Global

EraDrive cleared to test autonomous maneuvering software on NASA’s Starling satellites

EraDrive has received clearance to test autonomous maneuvering software aboard NASA’s Starling satellites. The trial advances onboard navigation and control capabilities, putting spacecraft maneuver decisions closer to the vehicle rather than relying solely on ground-based direction.

AINonline

High activity

North Vector raises $29M+ for counter-drone missile production as electric-aircraft startups report funding and presales

North Vector Dynamics closed a Series A of more than $29 million to scale its CM-70 counter-drone missile, while eVTOL developer Skyfly raised $10 million and MD Aircraft reported 250 MDA1 eViator presales. Separately, construction is beginning on NOEMI’s battery-electric amphibious-aircraft prototype, with plans to diversify its configurations.

AINonline

Full-scale Moya 256 eVTOL Makes First Transition Flight

Aviation Week

High activity

JAL expands Level 4 autonomous cargo towing to Fukuoka, its third Japanese airport

Japan Airlines has begun operating TLD Robotics’ driverless EZTow tractors at Fukuoka Airport, extending airside autonomous towing to a third airport in its network. The vehicles move cargo containers on a 1.7-kilometer restricted-area route, as JAL turns to automation amid ground-handling labor shortages and a shrinking working-age population.