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AeroTime • Clement Charpentreau

France drops Patroller and Eurodrone from military law, pivots to cheaper sovereign drones

France's revised military law removes planned purchases of the Patroller and Eurodrone, signaling a pivot away from higher‑cost multinational UAS buys toward lower‑cost, sovereignly produced drones. The change formalises a procurement shift that will reshape demand for domestic versus collaborative European systems.

2026-04-08T08:02:17.700327-07:00

Aviation Week

Hermeus completes maiden flight of Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 and raises $350M to scale hypersonic production

2026-04-07T14:12:12.143427-07:00

Vertical Mag

Controlled Firepower: Manned and Uncrewed Ignition Systems Transform Wildfire Management

2026-04-08T06:11:34.244266-07:00

FlightGlobal

BAE fires APKWS laser‑guided rockets from Eurofighter Typhoon in low‑cost C‑UAS test

2026-04-08T06:31:40.868043-07:00

News Timeline

AeroTime

France drops Patroller and Eurodrone from military law, pivots to cheaper sovereign drones France's revised military law removes planned purchases of the Patroller and Eurodrone, signaling a pivot away from higher‑cost multinational UAS buys toward lower‑cost, sovereignly produced drones. The change formalises a procurement shift that will reshape demand for domestic versus collaborative European systems.

2026-04-08T08:02:17.700327-07:00

France drops Patroller and Eurodrone from military law, pivots to cheaper sovereign drones

FlightGlobal

BAE fires APKWS laser‑guided rockets from Eurofighter Typhoon in low‑cost C‑UAS test BAE Systems test‑fired APKWS laser‑guided rockets from a Eurofighter Typhoon at its Warton site using an RAF test-and-evaluation Typhoon, striking a ground target. The trial demonstrates a low‑cost, precision option to defeat one‑way attack drones and other UAS threats, with further trials planned.

2026-04-08T06:31:40.868043-07:00

BAE fires APKWS laser‑guided rockets from Eurofighter Typhoon in low‑cost C‑UAS test

Vertical Mag

Controlled Firepower: Manned and Uncrewed Ignition Systems Transform Wildfire Management New manned and uncrewed aerial ignition systems are changing prescribed-burning and wildland fire suppression by allowing more precise, repeatable ignition patterns, expanding operational windows, and reducing firefighter exposure. Agencies are deploying drone-mounted ignition devices alongside helicopter systems to scale controlled burns with improved safety and targeting.

2026-04-08T06:11:34.244266-07:00

Controlled Firepower: Manned and Uncrewed Ignition Systems Transform Wildfire Management

MTU Aero Engines

MTU acquires AeroDesignWorks to enter small turbojet market for UAVs and missiles MTU Aero Engines has acquired Cologne-based AeroDesignWorks, expanding into small turbojet and gas‑turbine propulsion for uncrewed air vehicles and guided missiles. The 2011 DLR spin‑out, roughly 40 employees, becomes an MTU subsidiary for an undisclosed fee and will access MTU’s industrial engine manufacturing capabilities.

2026-04-08T06:06:39.393704-07:00

MTU acquires AeroDesignWorks to enter small turbojet market for UAVs and missiles

eVTOL News

Carnegie Mellon unveils TRAAV-160 'Tartan Air Rescue' concept UAV Carnegie Mellon University has unveiled the TRAAV-160 “Tartan Air Rescue” concept unmanned aerial vehicle, a design study focused on air-rescue missions. The concept highlights academic advances in platform architecture and mission fit that could influence future medevac, search-and-rescue UAV designs and autonomy requirements.

2026-04-07T19:06:34.505984-07:00

Carnegie Mellon unveils TRAAV-160 'Tartan Air Rescue' concept UAV

Aviation Week

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Hermeus completes maiden flight of Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 and raises $350M to scale hypersonic production Hermeus completed the uncrewed maiden flight of its Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 demonstrator from Spaceport America in early March and closed a $350 million Series C — valuing the startup at roughly $1 billion — to scale production and transition from prototypes to mission‑ready high‑Mach platforms for DoD customers.

2026-04-07T14:12:12.143427-07:00

Hermeus completes maiden flight of Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 and raises $350M to scale hypersonic production

Flying Magazine

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FAA runs airport-based detect-and-avoid trials to test ACAS X; Reliable Robotics completes FAA contract The FAA flew remotely piloted aircraft in and around airports to test ACAS X and assess detect-and-avoid performance, with Reliable Robotics completing contract trials for the agency. The data will inform standards and certification pathways for large uncrewed aircraft operating in terminal airspace.

2026-04-07T11:51:13.899266-07:00

FAA runs airport-based detect-and-avoid trials to test ACAS X; Reliable Robotics completes FAA contract

FlightGlobal

USAF to field K1000 solar-powered ultra-long-endurance UAV in Middle East for ISR and comms relay The US Air Force's Middle East command plans to field the solar‑powered K1000ULE, an uncrewed ultra‑long‑endurance aircraft that previously demonstrated more than 75 hours of flight. The K1000 will serve as an airborne communications retransmission node and a persistent ISR platform.

2026-04-07T10:47:19.733741-07:00

USAF to field K1000 solar-powered ultra-long-endurance UAV in Middle East for ISR and comms relay

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UAV Development & Drone Programs News

France drops Patroller and Eurodrone from military law, pivots to cheaper sovereign drones

Hermeus completes maiden flight of Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 and raises $350M to scale hypersonic production

Controlled Firepower: Manned and Uncrewed Ignition Systems Transform Wildfire Management

BAE fires APKWS laser‑guided rockets from Eurofighter Typhoon in low‑cost C‑UAS test

News Timeline