Guangzhou Shipyard International built a second uncrewed underwater vehicle mothership nearly identical to a Shanghai-built vessel, signaling a strategic commitment to autonomous underwater operations that outpaces U.S. Navy capabilities.
The British unmanned surface vessel maker raised $175 million in 2026 and is scaling production to 1,000 boats annually, with K3 Scout drones confirmed in combat strikes against Russian targets in the Black Sea.
USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group 9 arrived in Japan with Leidos' Seahawk unmanned surface vessel, marking the first operational deployment of a large unmanned vessel alongside a U.S. carrier strike group.
The U.S. Army created a new military occupational specialty focused on field adaptation of autonomous systems rather than piloting. Ten warrant officers graduated from the 19-week 390A program at Fort Bragg.
Defense Secretary Hegseth unveiled a $50 billion investment plan to expand U.S. autonomous weapons production from thousands to millions of systems, including one-way attack drones and robotic vehicles, requiring congressional budget reconciliation.
An F-22 Raptor pilot successfully commanded a YFQ-44A Collaborative Combat Aircraft during an October 2026 airborne tactical demonstration, validating manned-unmanned teaming control. The Air Force targets 500 CCAs by 2032 and 1,000 by 2030.
The U.S. Army issued an RFP for light autonomous missile launchers on October 15, with prototype awards expected December 18, 2026, and live-fire testing at Talisman Sabre 2027 in Australia.
The FCC will vote October 29 to end recognition of all mainland Chinese test laboratories by December 1, 2028, affecting 82% of the 46,402 devices that applied for US import authorization in 2025.
The Navy deployed a medium-sized unmanned surface vessel with a carrier strike group for the first time in October 2026, accelerating integration of autonomous systems into fleet operations under a new acquisition structure.
The autonomous delivery startup marks 10 years in Rwanda with 3M+ completed flights and is now expanding to Côte d'Ivoire through an 8-year health ministry partnership covering 10 hubs and 12M people.
CHAOS Industries unveiled VESPID, an autonomous counter-drone interceptor designed to cost 90% less than conventional systems, with initial production of 12,000 units annually and plans to scale to 50,000.
The FCC filed classified Department of Defense correspondence supporting restrictions on Chinese drone manufacturers DJI and Autel, citing supply chain vulnerabilities and foreign manufacturing dependence as national security risks.
Arizona National Guard will become the first state unit to operate General Atomics' Gray Eagle 25M unmanned aircraft system, receiving 8 aircraft by September 2027 and 4 more by end of 2029.
Ocius Technology opened a Sydney engineering, production and maintenance hub for Bluebottle unmanned surface vessels. Australia ordered 40 Bluebottles for A$176 million under Project Sea 1200.
Shield AI delivered the first of 12 V-BAT autonomous aircraft to Taiwan Coast Guard Administration after competitive selection in July 2026, with AIDC providing localized support and training infrastructure.
The Pentagon established Project Agincourt to create a four-star Autonomous Warfare Command coordinating unmanned systems across the joint force. The Pentagon has already deployed $1B in drone-dominance funding to field operators, with plans to field hundreds of thousands of one-way attack systems this year.
Defense Secretary Hegseth announced AUTOWARCOM, a new four-star combatant command for autonomous warfare activation by October 1, 2027. The Pentagon is opening test ranges to private companies and establishing theater innovation labs for doctrine development.
EMS Defense Technologies, a Honeywell Aerospace subsidiary, won a $1.5 billion ceiling IDIQ contract to supply counter-unmanned aircraft systems hardware, software and services to the Department of Homeland Security.
Defense Secretary Hegseth announced a $50 billion reconciliation funding request separate from the $53.6 billion Drone Dominance budget to accelerate production of autonomous and robotic systems from thousands to millions of units annually.
Defense Secretary Hegseth announced a $55 billion autonomous warfare initiative centered on the newly established Autonomous Warfare Command, consolidating autonomy efforts under SOCOM pending Congressional approval.
The U.S. Army will imminently award its Common Autonomous Multi-Domain Launcher Medium variant following source selection, with Light and Heavy variants planned for 2027 and 2028-2029.
NAWCAD proved an unmanned system can navigate and land aboard Navy vessels without GPS using computer vision and AI guidance software, eliminating the need for multimillion-dollar radar systems and ship modifications.
The U.S. Army formalized Merops as a program of record in 142 days and procured 13,000 interceptors at $15,000 each, accelerating acquisition for counter-drone air defense across NATO and CENTCOM theaters.
The Air Force awarded prototype development contracts to seven companies for the Massed Modular Aircraft, targeting $10 million per base aircraft and operational prototypes by 2028.
Raytheon secured $729 million in contracts for Coyote effectors and KuRFS radar systems serving the U.S. Army, Qatar, and Jordan, marking the first international sales of both systems.
The Norwegian defense contractor will build a production facility in northern Poland to manufacture counter-drone systems, with serial production possible in H1 2028 and 100-plus jobs at full capacity.
Badland Batteries opened an 80,000-square-foot, $100 million lithium-ion pouch cell plant in Fargo, North Dakota, with capacity for more than 15,000 cells a day and full production expected by 2028.
Sig Sauer and Israel Aerospace Industries completed firing tests of an armed quadcopter carrying the M250 light machine gun, demonstrating target identification and engagement from the air with human operators controlling fire decisions.
A 100% tariff on imported thermal drones and a pending FCC ban will force 80-90% of U.S. law enforcement agencies currently flying DJI aircraft to switch to American alternatives costing 2-8 times more, straining local and state budgets.
Rivet delivered 70 prototypes of militarized smart glasses to the Army's Soldier Borne Mission Command program after closing a $55 million Series A round, enabling soldiers to command AI agents controlling robots and drones.
Airbus and Kratos conducted the first European flight of the U740 Valkyrie uncrewed aircraft, achieving rocket-assisted takeoff and Mach 0.8 maneuvers. The companies target a combat-ready Collaborative Combat Aircraft for German and European forces by 2029.
Raytheon finished three successful tests of a rocket motor-powered upgrade to its Coyote drone interceptor, improving velocity and warhead capability. Production will double by mid-2027 as the Army pursues international FMS sales to Qatar and Jordan.
Sikorsky unveiled a containerized fast pack that fits four Nomad 100 VTOL drones, mission software and sustainment into one 20-foot shipping container for rapid naval and contested-zone deployment.
The Utah-based drone maker and Norwegian munitions specialist expanded their partnership to integrate weapons into small unmanned aircraft for mass production. Vector placed in the top five of the Defense Department's billion-dollar Drone Dominance program.
South Carolina startup Powerus went public via SPAC merger with $390M market cap and unveiled the Guardian 3, a fully autonomous drone interceptor addressing Pentagon demand for low-cost counter-drone systems.
L3Harris Technologies secured approximately $500 million from an undisclosed international customer for its VAMPIRE counter-drone system, roughly five times the value of its $106 million U.S. Army award from summer 2026.
Under Secretary Obadal signals a fundamental pivot in Army procurement priorities toward counter-unmanned systems, AI-integrated software, and balanced munitions portfolios driven by lessons from Ukraine and Iran conflicts.
Zipline began deliveries from its first Austin-area drone hub on October 9, 2026, with about 25 businesses listed in its app at launch, per News 4 San Antonio. Round Rock plans to write drone hub zoning rules after evaluating a second hub inside city limits.
Autonomous ground vehicle manufacturers Ondas Sentinel and Forterra are fielding robots in active combat zones, closing a capability gap that has kept ground autonomy behind aerial systems for years.
The Department of War's Operational Energy-Innovation Directorate expanded its investment in PowerLight's Aerial ReCharge system, which uses laser power beaming to recharge drones in flight and eliminate landing cycles in contested environments.