The Defense Department approved five small drone makers in August 2020 to sell to the military and federal agencies starting in September, Fox Business reported on August 21.
The program, called Blue small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Blue sUAS), wrapped up an 18-month effort by the Defense Innovation Unit to provide trusted and secure small drones.
The approved makers
- Four are based in the USA: Altavian, Skydio, Teal and Vantage Robotics.
- The fifth, Parrot, is French. Its approved drone, the ANAFI USA, is made in the USA.
The approvals followed the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, which barred the military from buying or operating drones made in China.
“We need an alternative to Chinese-made small drones and Blue sUAS is a first step in achieving that objective.”
Mike Brown, director, Defense Innovation Unit
FAQ
What is Blue sUAS?
A Defense Innovation Unit program to supply trusted small drones to the military.
Which companies were approved?
Altavian, Skydio, Teal, Vantage Robotics and Parrot.
Why now?
The fiscal 2020 NDAA barred military use of drones made in China.
Source & credit
Source: Fox Business, August 21, 2020: “Pentagon approves American-made small drones for the U.S. Military”.