Space/Satellites

AFBAA launches continent-wide research initiative to analyze Africa's business aviation sector and provide data-driven insights for operators.

Hoper expands helicopter ride-share operations globally while preparing its platform for future eVTOL integration in urban air mobility.

The German Air Force is undergoing an intense period of modernization through the end of the decade that will do more than just revitalize its core air dominance role, says Luftwaffe Inspector Lt. Gen. Holger Neumann.

A French Air Force Dassault Rafale downed a drone that entered Latvian airspace, marking the second shootdown of a UAS in the Baltic states in recent weeks.

Airbus Defense and Space CEO Michael Schöllhorn hopes France and Germany will finally resolve the path forward for the New Generation Fighter program by ILA.

South Korea has launched projects to develop a 4,500-lb. thrust-class high-bypass turbofan for collaborative combat aircraft and more-electric business jets.

Selected U.S. military contracts from the past week.

The FAA is publishing proposed rules for restricting unmanned aircraft operations in airspace over key facilities.

Explore how advanced electro-mechanical actuation technologies are shaping next-gen aerospace. Learn to balance cutting-edge innovation with mission-critical reliability.

A decade after the launch of Vision 2030, the Saudi defense industry can claim significant progress in its goal to localize more than 50% of military procurement.

In a battlespace unrecognizable from when the war began in 2022, Ukraine’s adaptations appear to be outpacing the Russian invaders.

Transcendent Aerospace is reviving its very light jet as a cost-effective, optionally piloted drone interceptor, targeting interest from the Middle East and India.

The FAA has kept the nation’s complex air traffic management system safe for decades despite antiquated equipment and a shortage of controllers.

CMC GNSS receivers deliver accuracy, integrity, continuity, and resilience—trusted for crewed and autonomous aircraft in complex environments.

Prior to the Iran war, the leading fear among investors had been how disruptive AI could be to many business sectors. But not in aerospace and defense.

Robinson Helicopter Company announced the launch of Robinson Unmanned.

Where Aviation, Defence and Space strategy becomes reality. ILA Berlin 2026 brings 600+ exhibitors, 350 speakers and 100 aircraft to BER Airport.

The U.S. and Israel were hunting the vestiges of Iran’s ballistic missile and drone inventory as the fighting stretched into a fifth day.

Listen in as editors reflect on program updates and other highlights from the AFA Warfare Symposium.

The Pentagon used a counter-drone system to down what it called a “seemingly threatening” uncrewed air system, drawing concerns from lawmakers about potential risks to civil airspace.

The U.S. air traffic management (ATM) system used to be heralded as the gold standard of commercial airspace operations.

Pakistan’s GIDS has arrived at World Defense Show weeks after conducting the first test-firing of the Taimoor air-launched cruise missile.

SHIELD AI expands Singapore partnership... LOCKHEED gets F-35 ALIS/ODIN award... AEROVIRONMENT studying swarming software for the U.S. Navy...

Kratos Defense has hinted that the XQ-58 Valkyrie has a possible future as a launch platform and host in Taiwan.

United Aircraft debuted advanced UAVs at the Singapore Airshow, showcasing cutting-edge tech such as the R6000 tiltrotor and launching a global agent program.

Leonardo DRS partners with Saudi Arabia & MENA allies to modernize defense with advanced tech, local production, & combat-proven systems for future battlespace.

L3Harris will deliver low-cost cruise missiles to the U.S. Marine Corps by the end of the next year under a newly awarded contract worth $86.2 million.

Warsaw is acquiring 18 batteries of the San counter-drone system, developed by a consortium that includes Polish Armaments Group (PGZ).

P&WC advances hybrid propulsion; GE’s hybrid Passport success; Europe’s Clean Aviation launches ultraefficient regional projects; UAE orders uncrewed VTOLs.

Emirati defense group Edge and Qatar’s Barzan Holdings are to create a joint venture and begin cross border defense industrial cooperation.

The United States’ sweeping 2025 trade tariffs introduced by the Trump administration are having a profound effect on the South African aerospace manufacturing sector.

25 Years Ago in Aviation Week The cover of Aviation Week & Space Technology’s Feb. 19, 2001, issue featured an artist’s concept of Northrop Grumman's Pegasus X-47A unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) flying over the U.S. Navy's test facility at China Lake, California.

The Spanish defense and aerospace electronics company says the acquisition will allow it to position itself in the growing uncrewed traffic management market and bolster its UK presence.

The 2026 Aviation Week Laureate Awards honor impressive achievements and contributions by innovators and leaders in five industry sectors.

The U.S. Navy on Dec. 18 announced it had for the first time fired a newly developed one-way attack drone from a ship in the Middle East.

Sweden has awarded GKN Aerospace a contract to build a clean-sheet turbojet-powered uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) demonstrator within 18 months to validate rapid development techniques.

Planet and Quantum Systems have partnered to develop an integrated satellite-and-drone tipping-and-cueing system.

Aviation Week Network announced the recipients of the 68th Annual Laureate Awards (#AWLAUR), honoring extraordinary achievements in the global aerospace arena.

Korean Air's Aerospace Division is displaying the third prototype of its Low Observable Wingman UAV System (LOWUS) with first flight of the system penciled in for December.

Italy has budgeted nearly €600 million ($697 million) through 2030 to launch the acquisition of a new maritime patrol aircraft.

Taiwan’s collaboration with American defense contractors took an important step forward at this year's Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition.

Austrian uncrewed helicopter maker Schiebel is getting into the armed drone business, unveiling two new Camcopter systems.

Among the standouts of China's eVTOL landscape is Shanghai-based Vertaxi.

The U.S. Army has announced a standardized interface for UAS and launched effects to carry munitions or other attachments.

New remarks by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy point to the U.S. government turning its focus back to the Moon and the mission to colonize it.

Editors share what they heard at AIAA's showcase events in Las Vegas and their concerns about what the NASA cuts could mean for U.S. competitiveness in commercial aviation and space.

The U.S. Space Force plans to use its X-37B to conduct operational demonstrations of laser link communications and quantum-based navigation in space.

Electric seagliders could enable distributed, stealthy operations across the Indo-Pacific theater.

Piaggio Aerospace completed the sale of its Villanova d’Albenga and Genoa, Italy sites to Baykar, a Turkish aerospace firm.

One of two prototypes of Turkish Aerospace Industries’ Anka 3 uncrewed combat air vehicle has been lost after crashing upon landing.

Lawmakers want to give the U.S. Space Force $1 billion to support the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle program under the proposed budget reconciliation bill.

Boeing’s win of the U.S. Air Force F-47 fighter program may have answered one of the longest-running questions hanging over the aerospace giant.

Heron MK II Brings Integrated COMINT and ELINT to the Front Line

Factorial Energy has shipped its first solid-state lithium-metal battery cells for drone use to Avidrone Aerospace, a developer of long-range UAS.

Selected U.S. military contracts from the past week.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. will develop a stealthy uncrewed aircraft system powered by a novel hybrid-electric propulsion system.

From helicopters to space, Europe is investing to advance next-generation systems.

In the wake of the drone revolution, major drone companies, including 100 per cent African ones, are not only reinforcing but rethinking the use of drones to better support local populations.

XTI Aerospace has signed a memorandum of understanding with hybrid-electric powertrain developer VerdeGo.

German startup Atmos Space Cargo has struck a joint venture agreement with uncrewed ground vehicle maker ARX Robotics.

The 24th edition of the Dubai Airport Show concluded yesterday after calling to effectively adopt and invest in new technologies and to ‘grab’ the opportunities offered by airport expansion projects in the region.

As Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) begins to take flight, the industry must prioritize safety and reliability at every step.

Dzyne Technologies says it has delivered multiple Grasshopper autonomous air-launched expendable cargo gliders to the U.S. Air Force.

Unmanned Aerospace is preparing to begin pilot production of a hydrogen-electric uncrewed cargo gyroplane.

Hanwha Aerospace will invest KRW750 billion into development and production facilities for GA-ASI MQ-1 Gray Eagle uncrewed system and engines.

MAYMAN AEROSPACE, CA completed test flight of its RAZOR P100 unmanned VTOL with SKYFIELD advanced AI-driven autonomous flight control system to enable aircraft to adapt to changing mission parameters and environmental factors.

Pipistrel has launched flight testing of its most advanced design to date, the Nuuva V300 hybrid-electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing uncrewed cargo aircraft.

It will not work with Elon Musk-owned Starlink, but Taiwan plans to establish a satellite communications network by 2029.

What does Boeing’s contract win for the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation combat aircraft, the F-47, mean for the struggling aerospace company?

As part of a push to become more competitive, the UK is reviewing its approach to regulation, and airspace design has been named as one of the focus areas.

Recent appointments, promotions and honors in the aviation and aerospace industry.

The Boeing-made autonomous and maneuverable spaceplane was launched for its seventh mission on Dec. 28, 2023, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.

For its launch application, Rotor Technologies is offering modified Robinson R44s for uncrewed aerial agricultural missions.

Korean Air Aerospace Division (KAL-ASD) has shared fresh details on its collaborative combat aircraft projects after unveiling a new prototype.

The Agency of Defense Development and Korean Air Aerospace Division have unveiled South Korea’s first CCA prototype, the Low Observable Wingman UAV System.

Havelsan has been building a platform ecosystem that includes unmanned aerial, ground, and naval vehicles, since 2019.

Highlights from the IDEX 2025 show. View all four digital editions below.

The 2025 edition of the collocated IDEX and NAVDEX event draws to a close, reporting record numbers and a tale of great success for host Abu Dhabi, with more than 150,000 visitors in attendance.

Edge is exhibiting the Sinyar LAR3P unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) -a product of the company’s joint venture with Flaris.

It will be exactly a year on February 21 that the fifth-gen Kaan fighter prototype made its first flight.

Manned-Unmanned (M-UM) operations is an aspiration for increasing numbers of air forces.

World Defense Show is appearing at IDEX updating on the new features and rapid sales for the next edition due to take place in Riyadh from February 8-12 next year.

A secretive DARPA office has a new project: a large hypersonic bomber prototype. The Aerospace Projects Office keeps a low profile, even by DARPA standards.

Vertiport developer, Skyports, is collaborating with LODD, a UAE-based company specialising in AI-powered drone technology and autonomous aerial logistics, to unveil designs for a vertiport network in Abu Dhabi.

The Rwanda Civil Aviation Training and Innovation Centre (RCATIC) is stepping up efforts to enhance regulatory training and bridge the global aviation skills gap.

The seventh edition of the Marrakech Air Show, held at at Marrakech Royal Moroccan Air Force Base from October 30th to November 2nd, surpassed its promises. The event, which showcased civil, military, defence and space industries, was punctuated by strategic agreements and…

Artificial intelligence shows great promise, but safety and ethical considerations are a major challenge in aerospace.

Oklahoma and Taiwan have deepened their budding aerospace and defense partnership with two new agreements.

Insitu, a Boeing Company, has opened its new Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Center of Excellence (COE) at Tawazun Industrial Park in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Venture capitalists are increasingly turning their eyes to the fledgling aerospace technologies segment.

Three of the modular systems would produce 1.2 megawatts, enough to power a regional aircraft, the Toulouse-based company says.

The Pentagon has historically kept the spaceplane’s capabilities and mission objectives under wraps.

EDGE has made a grand debut during the Marrakech Air Show 2024. Anuradha Deenapanray Chappard reports.

L3Harris’ Viper Shield—the only modern F-16 electronic warfare system currently in production—harnesses the power of software to give pilots and commanders the edge in an increasingly contested battlespace.

A number of initiatives were disclosed, but the talk of the show was SpaceX’s Starship booster catch, which happened just ahead of the IAC opening.

The interceptor needs to be an autonomous aircraft launched from an air vehicle with a “hard kill system” effective against the small drones.

The UAE is vying to be the market leader in e-VTOL operations as two leading industry manufacturers make their presence known.

The CP-12 mission is led by Draper Laboratory, and the APEX 1.0 lunar lander is being developed by Ispace Technologies U.S.

The Orbital Test Vehicle will conduct a series of passes that use the drag of the Earth’s atmosphere to allow it to change orbit while limiting its fuel use.

Conferences and events for professionals in the aerospace and defense community.

Three unmanned aerial systems parked in the show’s static display perhaps fooled people to think at least two of them were from Turkey’s Baykar.

Dr Mehmet Demiroğlu, the new General Manager of Turkish Aerospace Industries, is at EIAS with a mission.

In recent years Turkey’s Aselsan has become one of the fastest growing companies in the world.

Russia's United Engine Corporation (UEC) plans to launch production of smaller engines to address the country’s war-driven demand for more uncrewed aircraft.

With a maximum takeoff weight of 2,500 lb. (1,133 kg), the company describes the aircraft as the “largest civilian drone available for purchase today.”

A Kansas-based aerial application fleet operator is the U.S. launch customer of the Pelican Spray agricultural drone, manufacturer Pyka announced on Aug. 8.

Brig. Gen. Frank Lozano, the program executive officer for Missiles and Space, laid out four planned competitions for next year.

Thales and Garuda Aerospace have signed an MoU to promote the development of the drone ecosystem in India.

Honeywell and Odys Aviation, a developer VTOL aircraft, have signed an MOU to design new Ground Control Stations to support the rollout of Odys Aviation’s hybrid VTOL aircraft in the Middle East and Pacific.

The 2024 National Strategy for the Arctic Region was released July 22.

Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. and U.S. uncrewed systems company AEVEX have signed a memorandum geared toward the manufacturing of UAS.

News in brief.

The Defense Innovation Unit launched a competition on June 14 on the Navy’s behalf, calling for written responses to an urgent request in two weeks.

A successful demonstration of the first unmanned air taxi trial in Mecca is said to pave the way for future implementation of smart mobility solutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

UAE defence conglomerate, Edge Group, has signed a milestone cooperation agreement with Adani Defence & Aerospace, one of India’s leading defence manufacturers

A UK company ARC Aero Systems has signed strategic partnership agreement (SPA) with a Saudi-based Life Shield.

Amazilia Aerospace is a developer of digital flight control, flight guidance and vehicle management systems for civil manned and unmanned aircraft.

Chevron Pipe Line and American Aerospace Technologies won a waiver from the FAA to conduct Beyond Visual Line of Sight flights of a drone to inspect pipelines.

AIRBUS finalized acquisition of US-based AEROVEL and its UAS, FLEXROTOR, to strengthen its portfolio of tactical unmanned solutions.

Lilium CEO Klaus Roewe has slammed German politics for putting the future of the company and the infant advanced air mobility sector in jeopardy.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has linked up with Aerotor to propose a large, VTOL uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) to perform a range of military roles.

Brief news items of interest to business aviation professionals.

Stratolaunch conducted the first powered flight of its Talon TA-1 test vehicle, a key step toward supporting regular and reusable hypersonic test capability.

Raytheon will showcase a wide range of technological capabilities at the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX 2024).

Failing again to field the OH-58 Kiowa’s replacement, the U.S. Army will rely on uncrewed aircraft and space-based assets for the armed reconnaissance mission.

Aselsan’s Bombardier Global 6000 Hava SOJ airborne stand-off jammer programme is progressing well, a company spokesperson said at WDS

Saudi Arabia’s economic power and geopolitical influence makes it a “core country” for Airbus Defence and Space, in the view of its chief executive, Michael Schoellhorn.

Six months after the announcement, in July last year, that Saudi Arabia was set to acquire the Baykar Bayraktar Akinci unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), one of the prototypes is on display at WDS.

Day two coverage from World Defense Show in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from our sister publication Show Business, the event’s Official Show Daily Partner.

A model of the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) KF-21 Boramae fighter, is being displayed at WDS.

RTX, an aerospace and defence company, will showcase its latest defence-related technological advancements and capabilities at the World Defense Show (WDS).

As part of our coverage from World Defense Show, we’re bringing you the news from our sister publication Show Business, the event’s Official Show Daily Partner.

Cutting edge assets from electric aircraft to 60-tonne tanks will be on display at World Defense Show 2024.

The aerospace and defense sector could experience modest mergers and acquisitions activity this year.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia has launched the "Enabling Advanced Air Transport in the Kingdom" initiative.

The UMEX and SimTEX Conference has concluded at ADNEC after presentations, panel discussions and keynote speeches from experts from the unmanned systems sector.

Kaman, a storied pioneer of helicopters and UAVs and scion of New England aerospace, will be acquired by private-equity firm Arcline Investment Management.

Mercury Systems (MRCY), a tech provider to the aerospace and defense industry, said it would consolidate its Mission Systems and Microelectronics divisions.

Advanced manufacturing startup Atomic-6 announced on Jan. 11 that it had raised $9.2 million jointly awarded by the U.S. Air Force and Space Force.

UMEX and SimTEX Conference will outline futuristic tech innovation and business opportunities in the unmanned systems sector.

Saudia Group has signed an agreement with the World Defense Show (WDS) to become the Official Airline Partner for its second edition.

Industry titans will continue to sell off businesses, and private equity will continue to play a central role.

A roundup of upcoming conferences, exhibitions and summits.

EHang is laying the groundwork for the imminent commercial launch of its EH216-S unmanned multicopter.

Improving U.S. National Airspace System (NAS) safety and efficiency requires short- and long-term commitments in four broad areas.

Embraer spinoff Eve Air Mobility has announced plans to launch electric air taxi services in Bangalore, India.

A roundup of upcoming conferences, exhibitions and summits.

Recent market intelligence items for aerospace & defense professionals.

KAI revealed its development roadmap for the MC-X transport program at ADEX 2023, hinting at a "mothership" role to air-launch other platforms.

RTX company Collins Aerospace has formally opened the Grid, a $50 million advanced electric power systems laboratory.

Recent appointments, promotions and honors in the aviation and aerospace industry.

QUANTUM-SYSTEMS added 20,000 sq ft production facility in Moorpark, CA for its Vector eVTOL fixed-wing unmanned aircraft system (UAS).