Duke Energy Receives FAA Approval for BVLOS Drone Operations

📌 One of the greatest technological threats of the last century may well be drone technology. ▪️ Today, we can clearly see this on the battlefield. Modern conflicts are demonstrating to the world how unmanned aerial systems are fundamentally transforming the nature of warfare. ▪️ Throughout history, many technologies were first developed for military purposes and later transitioned into civilian life. Drone technology appears to be following the same path. In the near future, unmanned aerial vehicles will likely become central to our daily lives — from logistics and agriculture to emergency response operations and urban air mobility. ▪️ However, recent conflicts are also revealing an important reality: we are not fully prepared. ❓ Technology is advancing at an incredible pace.   But are regulations, safety systems, airspace management, and societal adaptation progressing at the same speed? ❔ The technology is ready.   But are we ready? ▪️ From detection and identification to countermeasures and effective airspace management, a wide range of responsibilities lies ahead of us. 👉 The real challenge is not only developing the technology, but governing and integrating it safely into our skies.

Tulsa is now a primary proving ground for the future of American aviation. 🇺🇸 High Lander has been selected to deploy our Vega UTM platform at the Skyway Range as part of the SAFE-T initiative. This program at the Tulsa Tech Hub creates a federally recognized testing environment for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations. The initiative manages a 114 nautical mile flight corridor. High Lander provides the central hub that enables interoperability between diverse airspace participants. We are demonstrating critical capabilities, including strategic deconfliction and real-time conformance monitoring in a shared environment. Our work with Tulsa Innovation Labs and the Osage Nation establishes that safe and scalable drone operations are a current reality rather than a future goal. We are proud to raise the bar for the industry alongside our partners at the Skyway Range! Click here to read the full article on Unmanned Airspace >> https://lnkd.in/dVHm3JaN meerir | Oklahoma Cyber Innovation Institute at The University of Tulsa | The University of Tulsa | ResilienX | Philip Butterworth-Hayes | Unmanned Publications Ltd

The sky is the new frontline. Recent events in the Middle East and Ukraine have proven that drones are the weapon of choice for disrupting critical infrastructure. Our team at SOLID UAVS is committed to closing this gap. Read the full update below on the current threat landscape and how we’re helping organizations fight back. #CriticalInfrastructure #DroneDefense #SOLIDUAVS

Why we started Skyfall Defence: Over the past years, small and mid-size drones have rapidly become part of everyday reality. They are powerful, affordable and increasingly autonomous. At the same time, the ability to protect critical infrastructure, public spaces and industrial facilities against drone threats is still limited. Many existing counter-UAS solutions are designed for military environments - but not for dense urban areas or civilian infrastructure. During numerous discussions with experts from security agencies, industry and technology, one question kept coming up: Who will build the systems that protect the low-altitude airspace? Skyfall Defence was founded to work on exactly this challenge. Our goal is to develop scalable and deployable technologies that enable civil authorities and infrastructure operators to respond effectively and proportionately to emerging drone threats. We believe that securing the lower airspace will become a key part of modern security architecture in Europe. This page will share insights from our work, developments in drone security and perspectives on the evolving role of technology in protecting critical infrastructure.

🚨 Call for Speakers – IXES2026 🚨 INTERPOL Unmanned Expert Summit 2026 - June 2026, Norway Somewhere in the world right now, someone is developing a technology, a concept, or an operational method that could significantly improve how we protect critical infrastructure and public safety from unmanned threats. A new sensor. A smarter detection method. A better operational model. A real-world lesson learned from the field. The question is: Is it you we are looking for? At IXES2026 – the INTERPOL Unmanned Expert Summit, we are bringing together the global community working at the intersection of public safety, critical infrastructure protection, and unmanned technologies. But the most important part of IXES is not the stage. It is the knowledge shared by the people who are actually solving the problems. 🎤 INTERPOL and the partners Equinor, BLD Blue Lights Digital and Gassco AS are now inviting speakers from around the world. We are looking for contributions such as: 🔹 Operational use cases from the field 🔹 Counter-UAS technologies and detection systems 🔹 Protection of critical infrastructure 🔹 Drone-as-First-Responder and emergency response concepts 🔹 Sensors, AI, and data fusion solutions 🔹 Academic insights and future operational frameworks 🔹 Lessons learned from law enforcement, defense, and public safety operations At IXES2026 your ideas will not only be presented. They will be discussed, challenged, and explored in an environment that combines expert briefings, workshops, and live Red/Blue Team exercises. Because protecting society while enabling the positive use of drones requires collaboration across borders, sectors, and disciplines. So once again: Is it you we are looking for? If you have insights, solutions, or experience the global public safety community should hear about — this is your opportunity. 🌍 IXES2026 – INTERPOL Unmanned Expert Summit 📍 Norway 📅 June 2026 📩 Submit your speaker proposal: https://lnkd.in/eR9T4iV9 🚁 Help shape the future of how the world detects, responds to, and safely integrates unmanned systems.

With the ongoing tensions in the Middle East and the increased use of drone technology in modern conflicts, it’s starting to raise broader questions for infrastructure security closer to home. A recent report from North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) following its GridEx VIII security exercise highlighted growing concern from utilities about their ability to protect critical assets from unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Drones are becoming cheaper, more capable, and far more accessible, which means the risk profile around substations, generation facilities, and other critical grid infrastructure is evolving. Historically, most security strategies focused on perimeter protection and cyber threats, but now the airspace above key assets is another layer utilities have to think about. One challenge is regulation U.S. airspace is overseen by the Federal Aviation Administration, which means utilities often have limited authority to intervene even if a drone is detected near critical infrastructure. As a result, many utilities are beginning to explore airspace monitoring and drone detection technologies as part of broader physical security strategies. As global events continue to highlight how rapidly drone capabilities are advancing, it’s a reminder that grid security is constantly evolving alongside the technologies around it. Curious to hear how others in the industry are thinking about this, particularly around substations and transmission infrastructure. #Utilities #Transmission #Substations #GridSecurity #EnergyInfrastructure I came across this article recently which brought the topic to my attention: https://lnkd.in/ekKNCzHH

Responding to the Threat of Cheap Drone Attacks When a £30,000 drone can threaten infrastructure protected by multi-million-pound systems, the problem is no longer tactical — it is strategic. The Reuters piece on cheap drones reshaping modern warfare (Cheap Drones are Reshaping the War in the Sky – Reuters, March16, 2026)  should be read by every Western utility, transmission operator and critical infrastructure owner. The battlefield lesson is clear: attack has become cheap, scalable and disposable; defence is still too often expensive, slow and designed for a previous era....

Australia's 'Compliance Cliff' isn't just a theory: it's a looming operational risk. 🦘🛑 With US legislation tightening the screws on foreign-made drones, the question isn't *if* Australia will follow, but *when*. A January 2026 study from the University of Canberra confirmed what we've suspected: overseas-made hardware presents significant security vulnerabilities for our critical infrastructure. For surveying and mapping firms, this means: 🔹 Data sovereignty is now a business requirement. 🔹 Relying on 'grandfathered' foreign tech is a gamble. 🔹 The transition to sovereign capability needs to happen now. At Evolution Flight, we built The Patriot right here in Australia to solve this. It’s not just a drone; it’s a secure, heavy-lift insurance policy for your fleet. Don't wait for the ban to ground your business. Future-proof with Australian engineering. 🇦🇺🛠️ #DroneCompliance #ThePatriot #SovereignCapability #EvolutionFlight #UAV

A Paradigm Shift in Maritime Security For decades, maritime security has been defined by tonnage and hull size. But modern asymmetric threats are no longer challenged by mass, they require agility, autonomy, and intelligence. It’s time to rethink the concept of USVs. It’s about autonomy, intelligence, and scalability. Layered Defense & Counter-USV Capability As unmanned threats evolve, counter-USV capability becomes essential. This platform is designed to detect, track, and respond to hostile unmanned systems, operating with a “hive-mind” logic that prioritizes and distributes defensive actions in milliseconds. Strategic Persistence (Sleeping Mode) Combines diesel endurance with low-signature operation (thermal & radar). Capable of remaining dormant in the operational area for extended periods — activating only when a threat is detected. Instead of coordinating 10 separate USVs, imagine 1 autonomous platform acting as a Floating Command Node, controlling a swarm. 9.9m Autonomous Maritime Ecosystem: Carries 20+ ISR & mission drones → Each assigned a unique task via swarm intelligence → Failed mission? System redeploys autonomously Smart Hangar System → Electromagnetic alignment → 35° conical landing → Enclosed “sunroof” structure → Auto recharge & redeploy Sleeping Mode → Low-signature, long endurance → Waits silently, activates on threat Layered Defense & Counter-USV Ready → Detects, tracks, responds autonomously → Future requires USV eliminator systems Operational Advantage → 1 USV + 20 drones instead of 10 vessels → Low-cost, scalable, attritable → High-impact, low footprint Use Cases → Autonomous convoy protection (supply vessels) → Pipelines, offshore & critical infrastructure → Anti-piracy & high-risk zones → Port & anchorage security → Forward deployed persistent assets Future naval power will rely on: Distributed. Autonomous. Economically sustainable systems. This is not evolution. This is a reset. #USV #UAS #UUV #AutonomousSystems #UnmannedSystems #NavalInnovation #MaritimeSecurity #DroneWarfare #LoiteringMunitions #SwarmDrones #MannedUnmannedTeaming #MUMT #HumanMachineTeaming #DistributedLethality #LittoralOperations #GreyZone #ContestedEnvironments #A2AD #AntiAccessAreaDenial #ISR #C4ISR #KillChain #SensorToShooter #MultiDomainOperations #JointOperations #NetworkCentricWarfare #EdgeComputing #AIWarfare #Autonomy #ResilientNavigation #GPSDenied #EW #ElectronicWarfare #SIGINT #COMMSDenied #ForceMultiplier #AttritableSystems #LowCostWarfare #AsymmetricWarfare #FutureNavy #FutureForce #NavalOps #DefenseTech #DeepTech #MilitaryInnovation #CounterUSV #HardKill #SoftKill #LayeredDefense #ConvoyProtection #MaritimeLogistics #CriticalInfrastructure #EnergySecurity