Department of Defense Introduces Blue UAS 2.0, Expanding Roster of Authorized Government Drone Operators by 11 Companies
The Department of Defense (DoD) has expanded its approved list of drone manufacturers for government use, announcing the release of Blue UAS 2.0. Originally, the list consisted of five drone models, collectively known as Blue UAS 1.0. However, the new list includes eleven vendors, such as Wingtra, senseFly, and Skydio.
Unlike the first round, which listed specific drone models, Blue UAS 2.0 simply lists vendors, leaving it unclear whether all drones produced by those companies are automatically approved or just certain models. This seems to represent a more open approach to these approvals compared to the initial list.
For those seeking alternatives to DJI, the new Blue UAS platforms could be promising options. The expansion was motivated by two primary factors: reducing costs and increasing capabilities. The new vendors will offer a wider range of cost options, allowing government agencies more flexibility in resource allocation. In terms of capabilities, the DoD wanted to add drones that could offer mapping, infrastructure inspections, secondary payloads, and traditional reconnaissance tasks.
The new list includes Ascent AeroSystems, BlueHalo LLC, Easy Aerial Inc., FlightWave Aerospace Systems Corporation, Freefly Systems East, Harris Aerial, Inspired Flight Technologies Inc., senseFly Inc, Skydio, Inc., Vision Aerial, and Wingtra AG.
The DoD aims to make the approval process less burdensome for companies through Blue UAS 2.0, focusing on reducing administrative barriers for commercial small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) to be integrated into the Department of Defense (DoD). This streamlined policy is expected to enable broader adoption of sUAS across the force.
Michael Brown, Director of the Defense Innovation Unit (DUI), stated that easing the process for companies to get approved for government use is crucial to widespread sUAS adoption. Last month, the Deputy Secretary of Defense shared a new policy for all DoD organizations on how to procure drones they want to use, outlining procurement procedures for various types of UAS.
According to a DoD press release, DJI, a prominent drone manufacturer, continues to be identified as a national security threat, although the specific reasons for this classification were not clarified. This assertion suggests that DJI may not be included on the Blue UAS list, regardless of future iterations. However, it is worth noting that a leaked Pentagon report found no privacy concerns with DJI's Government Edition Matrice 600 and Government Edition Mavic Pro in July of last year.
- The eleven vendors included in the updated Blue UAS list, such as Wingtra, senseFly, and Skydio, will offer various drone models with capabilities for mapping, infrastructure inspections, and reconnaissance tasks.
- The Department of Defense (DoD) intends to streamline the approval process for commercial small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) through Blue UAS 2.0, allowing for broader adoption of sUAS across the force.
- This new approach will provide government agencies with a wider range of cost options from vendors like Easy Aerial Inc., FlightWave Aerospace Systems Corporation, and Inspired Flight Technologies Inc.
- While DJI remains identified as a potential national security threat, the recent expansion of Blue UAS platforms provides alternatives for those seeking to avoid using DJI drones.
- The Defense Innovation Unit (DUI) emphasizes that making the approval process less burdensome for sUAS companies is essential to promoting widespread adoption of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) across government agencies and the aerospace industry.
