Associated Press
• Josh Funk
Amazon says it plans to expand delivery of smaller, lightweight packages by drone into suburban areas across nearly 500 U.S. cities by the end of the year. The rollout could make airborne delivery available to millions more people, extending commercial drone operations beyond limited pilot markets.
UAV Development & Drone Programs
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Germany has launched a drone security center that uses space-based systems, bringing satellite-enabled capabilities into efforts to address drone-related security concerns. The initiative highlights the growing overlap between space infrastructure, unmanned systems and national security operations.
Amazon says it plans to expand delivery of smaller, lightweight packages by drone into suburban areas across nearly 500 U.S. cities by the end of the year. The rollout could make airborne delivery available to millions more people, extending commercial drone operations beyond limited pilot markets.
Regent demonstrated its autonomous Squire seaglider at a U.S. Navy drone event, highlighting a ground-effect vehicle designed to reach 70 kt, fly more than 100 nautical miles and carry a 22-kilogram payload. The demonstration positions the platform for evaluation in maritime and other defense missions.
REGENT has demonstrated Squire, its autonomous wing-in-ground-effect seaglider, during an exercise with the U.S. military. The event marks an operational test of the vehicle’s ability to operate close to the surface while supporting emerging defense applications for amphibious and coastal transport.
The U.S. Air Force plans to field a more affordable, mass-producible successor to the MQ-9 Reaper by 2031 while developing a broader family of aerial targets. The systems would range from expendable quadcopters to reusable drones capable of mimicking fifth-generation fighters and UAV swarms.
High activity
Globalstar deployed all eight replacement satellites built by Rocket Lab and MDA Space, while Eutelsat completed the first rendez-vous for Europe’s IRIS² programme. Separately, Viasat selected Rocket Lab for a U.S. Space Force GEO satellite, and Finland’s ReOrbit launched a €4.6 million connectivity R&D programme.
The U.S. Army and Mexico’s Army signed a declaration of intent allowing Mexico to procure UAS and counter-UAS systems through the Defense Department’s digital marketplace to combat organized crime. Separately, India signed a ₹1,943 crore contract with General Atomics to lease two MQ-9B SeaGuardian aircraft to the Navy for 30 months.
High activity
Uber and Zipline are partnering to bring autonomous drone delivery to millions of U.S. customers through Uber Eats. The rollout will begin in markets where Zipline already operates, including Dallas and Houston, before expanding nationwide, with the companies targeting 1 million deliveries per day by the end of 2029.
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