a provider of VTOL drones, sensors and software solutions, has announced completion of the process to receive an Authority To Operate (ATO) designation under the DoD Defense Innovation Unit’s Blue sUAS 2.0 Program.
As a result, the NDAA-compliant Edge 130 Blue UAS has been approved by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) for procurement by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and has been placed on the Blue UAS Cleared List for US Federal agencies to purchase.
Following months of cyber penetration testing and supply chain analysis, The US. Air Force granted an ATO for Edge 130 Blue, Edge 130 Blue GCS and Mission Planner, and 5 FlightWave camera payloads including Overwatch Gimbal and Mapping Array. The drone system also successfully completed a series of demonstrations to provide DIU with information and verification of its mission planning and launch capabilities, range and endurance, NDAA compliance, operational safety of flight procedures, and cyber security.
Edge 130 Blue Payloads
Designed specifically for government and military ISR, mapping and mission planning applications, the Edge 130 Blue enables long range autonomy and captures high-accuracy aerial imagery to provide near real-time situational awareness to ground forces. Weighing only 1200g (2.65lbs) the Edge can fly over 2 hours in forward flight mode. It can be rapidly deployed by one pilot from assembly to hand-launch, in 1 minute by a single user to capture imagery to generate 3D models, terrain and thermal maps. Edge 130 Blue is currently available for purchase by U.S. government agencies and all branches of the military as a standalone solution directly from FlightWave.
Larry Berkin, Chief Commercial & Operating Officer of FlightWave, stated,
“The Edge 130 Blue has the longest flight time of any Blue UAS approved drone and is a superior, long-range, mission-critical tool for the U.S. military and civil agencies. Automated defense capabilities will play an increasingly essential role in our defense programs and are vital to the US ability to remain competitive. FlightWave is a leader in this space, developing some of the most advanced technology for drones. We are proud to be able to support DIU and the work they are doing with the Blue UAS Program.”
Source: Press Release