August 2025 Edition: Navigating the Drone Frontier

New laws and executive actions are fueling record investment in industrial drones and robotics. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act injects billions into unmanned systems and AI, while federal procurement reforms prioritise domestic drones. Startups and established players alike are raising huge rounds, expanding fleets, and accelerating R&D.

A study of 147 construction professionals found that regulatory complexity is the biggest barrier to adopting drones in sustainable construction projects. Public perception, technical issues, and economic factors also hinder uptake. Clearer regulations, training, and awareness are key to broader adoption.

Lithuania is set to open nine drone training centers, starting in September 2025 to teach over 22,000 people, including 7,000 children, how to build and operate drones by 2028. The program, backed by €3.3 million, will span across age groups.

SiFly ’s Q12 drone has set a new Guinness World Record for the longest electric multirotor flight, staying airborne for 3 hours, 11 minutes, nearly an hour longer than the previous record. With a 10-pound payload capacity, 90-mile range, and helicopter-grade endurance at drone-level costs, the Q12 is poised to disrupt markets.

Unitree Robotics dominated the inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, winning four gold medals in key track events including the 400m, 1,500m, hurdles, and relay. With 11 medals total, Unitree topped the table, underscoring China’s rapid rise as a leader in humanoid robotics.

Researchers at the DRAGON Lab, University of Tokyo, have developed a falconry-inspired system enabling flapping-wing drones to land safely on a human hand. By employing motion planning that accounts for distance, altitude, and velocity, the drones are capable of executing smooth palm landings, thereby advancing safe human–drone interaction in crowded or constrained environments.

Pen Aviation (France/Malaysia) and Safran Electronics & Defense have expanded their 2024 MoU, with Pen Aviation becoming the launch customer for Safran’s new compact electro-optical systems. These lightweight, high-performance sensors enable smaller UAVs to perform advanced surveillance and mission tasks without sacrificing payload flexibility.

Indian startup Raphe mPhibr raised $100M to expand local drone R&D and manufacturing. Supplying India’s defense forces with drones from swarms to VTOLs, it builds most components domestically, integrates AI for autonomy, and is preparing for international expansion.

Droneforge raised $2.5M to scale aerial intelligence with Nimbus, an SDK that transforms any drone into an autonomous agent. Already flying in 70+ prototypes with 1,000+ developers on the waitlist, Nimbus aims to make high-performance drone autonomy accessible across industries.

Hasselt has become the first city in Belgium with a permanent drone detection system. Installed by SkeyDrone , the RF-based system allows police to track drones and locate pilots, addressing privacy complaints, criminal misuse, and safety risks.

Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has proposed a landmark BVLOS rule, paving the way for scalable drone operations in delivery, inspections, agriculture, and public safety. Industry leaders call it a game-changer for the low-altitude economy.

India’s aviation regulator, the DGCA, has launched a review of drone registrations found to be obtained on false grounds, with owners given one month to justify their permits. The move follows reports that over 8,700 Chinese drones were registered despite an import ban, raising national security and compliance concerns.

EASA - European Union Aviation Safety Agency has certified ANRA Technologies as the first U-space service provider (USSP) in Europe, a milestone for EU drone integration. After a two-year evaluation of safety, cybersecurity, and compliance, ANRA is now authorized to deliver the four mandatory U-space services, advancing Drone Strategy 2.0 and enabling safe, scalable BVLOS and urban drone operations.

Skyports Drone Services and AZ Turnhout have launched a BVLOS medical delivery trial in Kempen, Belgium, with drones piloted remotely from the UK. Using RigiTech Eiger and Speedbird Aero DLV-2 drones, the service transports medication and pathology samples between hospitals up to twice as fast as road couriers.

Drones are giving Gloucestershire Constabulary a tactical edge in tackling illegal e-bikes and e-scooters. Police say drones help track riders who won’t stop, improving safety in town centers where unlicensed, uninsured vehicles pose serious risks.

The World Health Organization has joined the United Nations Unmanned Aviation Coordination Forum, bringing membership to 14 UN entities. The Forum works to harmonize unmanned aircraft operations across the UN system, ensuring safety, efficiency, and capacity building in support of humanitarian aid, disaster response, and other global missions.

Tanzania achieved a conservation first with the five-day relocation of 150 elephants from the Goha Swamps to Mkomazi National Park, using drones alongside rangers to safely guide the super-herd. The UAVs reduced elephant stress, improved ranger safety, and enabled calm coordination.

Pyka Pelican achieved a milestone in autonomous aviation by completing a 21-mile autonomous flight from Seneca, Kansas, to Onaga Hospital, delivering critical medical supplies. The demonstration, supported by the Kansas Department of Commerce and Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems, highlighted the life-saving potential of drone delivery for rural healthcare.

The European Defence Agency held its first EU-level OPEX campaign on 3 July 2025 near Rome, testing UAV and UGV systems from six firms. Run under HEDI, it marked a new cross-border effort to speed defence tech from lab to field while tackling interoperability and training needs.

Paras Anti-Drone Technologies, a subsidiary of Paras Defence & Space Technologies Ltd. , has secured a ₹22 crore deal with France-based CERBAIR to supply up to 30 CHIMERA 200 systems. The man-portable device detects and neutralises drone threats across 400 MHz–6 GHz, offering scalable protection against drones and swarms.

Australia’s Albanese government will invest $1.3 billion over the next decade in counter-drone capabilities under Project Land 156. The program aims to detect and neutralise UAV threats, with $38.7 million in contracts already awarded to 20 vendors—14 of them Australian firms.