News

Flying Magazine • Jack Daleo

Miami-Dade County and MIA plan airport-wide digital monitoring hub by 2027, starting with drone trials for future air-taxi manag

Miami International Airport is set to open a new Airport Operations Center (AOC) and airport-wide Digital Monitoring Hub in 2027, described as the first of its kind in the U.S. The county says trials will begin with drones for air-taxi management, then scale toward larger electric air taxis as capabilities mature.

2026-05-19T06:10:37.334803-07:00

AeroTime

Romanian NATO Baltic Air Policing F-16 shoots down suspected Ukrainian drone over southern Estonia

2026-05-19T04:09:20.248562-07:00

FlightGlobal

Report: US loses or severely damages 42 aircraft in Iran bombing campaign; includes 24 MQ-9A Reaper and seven KC-135 tankers

2026-05-18T10:39:20.544451-07:00

AeroTime

France orders Varda counter-drone systems with Saab Giraffe 1X radars for short-range air defense

2026-05-18T04:54:32.756312-07:00

News Timeline

Flying Magazine

❗️

Miami-Dade County and MIA plan airport-wide digital monitoring hub by 2027, starting with drone trials for future air-taxi manag Miami International Airport is set to open a new Airport Operations Center (AOC) and airport-wide Digital Monitoring Hub in 2027, described as the first of its kind in the U.S. The county says trials will begin with drones for air-taxi management, then scale toward larger electric air taxis as capabilities mature.

2026-05-19T06:10:37.334803-07:00

Miami-Dade County and MIA plan airport-wide digital monitoring hub by 2027, starting with drone trials for future air-taxi manag

AeroTime

❗️

Romanian NATO Baltic Air Policing F-16 shoots down suspected Ukrainian drone over southern Estonia Romanian F-16s supporting NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission shot down what is believed to be a Ukrainian drone over southern Estonia on May 19. Reports said the aircraft entered Estonian airspace from Russia, prompting the interceptor response under allied air-policing coverage.

2026-05-19T04:09:20.248562-07:00

Romanian NATO Baltic Air Policing F-16 shoots down suspected Ukrainian drone over southern Estonia

FlightGlobal

Kelluu’s vision: long-endurance airships as persistent airborne sensor platforms to detect drones and cue defenses Finnish startup Kelluu says it wants to use airships as floating, long-endurance drone-defense platforms. The founder envisions the vehicles operating as persistent airborne sensors designed to detect incoming threats and trigger defensive measures—bridging ISR and counter-UAS response in one system.

2026-05-18T15:53:49.963540-07:00

Kelluu’s vision: long-endurance airships as persistent airborne sensor platforms to detect drones and cue defenses

FlightGlobal

Report: US loses or severely damages 42 aircraft in Iran bombing campaign; includes 24 MQ-9A Reaper and seven KC-135 tankers A report says the US military lost or suffered significant damage to 42 aircraft during an aerial bombing campaign against Iran amid a tenuous ceasefire. The tally includes 24 MQ-9A Reaper drones, seven KC-135 tankers, and several fighter types, underscoring combat attrition risks to high-tempo air operations.

2026-05-18T10:39:20.544451-07:00

Report: US loses or severely damages 42 aircraft in Iran bombing campaign; includes 24 MQ-9A Reaper and seven KC-135 tankers

AeroTime

France orders Varda counter-drone systems with Saab Giraffe 1X radars for short-range air defense France’s DGA has signed a contract with Saab and Scania France to supply Giraffe 1X radars integrated on Scania tactical vehicles under the Varda programme. The deal covers 16-17 radar systems (per reporting), aimed at strengthening short and very-short-range air defense against FPV drones and tactical UAVs.

2026-05-18T04:54:32.756312-07:00

France orders Varda counter-drone systems with Saab Giraffe 1X radars for short-range air defense

Aviation Week

RAF puts APKWS on frontline Typhoon jets for counter-UAS in the Middle East The Royal Air Force has begun operational use of the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) on Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon fighters deployed in the Middle East, moving from testing to frontline service in under two months. The low-cost guided-rocket option is intended to improve engagement of one-way attack drones.

2026-05-16T16:10:48.963293-07:00

RAF puts APKWS on frontline Typhoon jets for counter-UAS in the Middle East

Via Satellite

Kymeta to integrate Kestrel u5 multi-orbit SATCOM terminals into Red Cat uncrewed surface vessels Kymeta will work with Red Cat Futures to integrate its satellite communications terminals into Red Cat’s uncrewed surface vessels under a May 14 partnership. The move leverages Kymeta’s multi-orbit terminal (Kestrel u5) to support autonomous, mobile command-and-control and high-speed industrial mobility operations.

2026-05-15T11:10:21.176736-07:00

Kymeta to integrate Kestrel u5 multi-orbit SATCOM terminals into Red Cat uncrewed surface vessels

FlightGlobal

Project NYX: UK selects 4 firms to develop an Apache “loyal wingman” autonomous collaborative platform, down-selecting Anduril U The UK Ministry of Defence has advanced Project NYX by selecting four companies—BAE Systems (UK), Anduril UK, Tekever, and Thales—for a concept demonstrator to field autonomous, uncrewed “wingmen” operating alongside AH-64 Apache helicopters. In the next phase, MOD down-selected Anduril UK for development toward operational capability by 2030.

2026-05-15T04:38:12.321145-07:00

Project NYX: UK selects 4 firms to develop an Apache “loyal wingman” autonomous collaborative platform, down-selecting Anduril U

Menu

UAV Development & Drone Programs News

Miami-Dade County and MIA plan airport-wide digital monitoring hub by 2027, starting with drone trials for future air-taxi manag

Romanian NATO Baltic Air Policing F-16 shoots down suspected Ukrainian drone over southern Estonia

Report: US loses or severely damages 42 aircraft in Iran bombing campaign; includes 24 MQ-9A Reaper and seven KC-135 tankers

France orders Varda counter-drone systems with Saab Giraffe 1X radars for short-range air defense

News Timeline