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Canada Launches Defence Drone Initiative

July 29th, 2026

Earlier this week the Government of Canada launched the Defence Drone Initiative (DDI) to accelerate the development, testing, adaptation, and production of uncrewed and autonomous systems for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG). Led collaboratively by the Department of National Defence and the Defence Investment Agency (DIA), the initiative will establish a competitive supply arrangement that connects operational requirements with Canadian innovation and creates a more agile pathway to develop, acquire and integrate these technologies.

Recent conflicts have shown that drone technology evolves rapidly. Canada has world-class expertise across aerospace, robotics, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, sensors, secure communications, propulsion and advanced materials but these capabilities are distributed across industry, academia and government. The DDI will help build a more responsive and scalable Canadian ecosystem and it reflects the Government of Canada’s commitment to provide the CAF and CCG with access to Canadian-developed technologies that enhance operational readiness while supporting Canadian innovation, skilled jobs and long-term economic growth.

Initial priority areas

Six initial use cases have been identified to provide focus for industry engagement and capability development.

Low-cost tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance drones
Small, affordable uncrewed aircraft could provide tactical units with local intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

The objective is to identify secure and affordable systems that can be made widely available to operators, tested in the field and adapted based on user feedback.

Uncrewed ground vehicles for logistics and complex terrain
Ground-based robotic systems could help carry equipment, batteries, water and other supplies across difficult or dangerous terrain.

Potential applications could also include casualty support, communications relay and operations in environments where sending personnel may present additional risk.

Uncrewed maritime surface and underwater systems
Maritime systems could support route surveys, the detection and classification of mine-like objects, maritime awareness and operations in constrained waters.

These technologies may also help support Arctic and coastal surveillance, port security and the protection of critical maritime routes.

Standardized drone munitions and explosive payloads
The initiative will examine options for standardized and properly certified payloads, interfaces and safety systems for military uncrewed platforms.

A common approach could reduce duplication, improve interoperability and support safer integration across different systems.

Low-cost, low collateral counter-drone interceptors
The initiative will explore affordable systems that could detect, track or defeat hostile drones.

This includes potential non-explosive interceptors and other low-collateral options that could contribute to the protection of military personnel, installations and infrastructure.

Deep precision strike systems
The initiative will examine technologies that could contribute to a sovereign Canadian long-range precision capability.

This is a more complex area that will require additional technical, operational, policy, legal, safety and security work. No acquisition decision is being announced at this stage.

Competitive supplier process

A Request for Supply Arrangement (RFSA) will establish a pool of Canadian qualified suppliers across multiple areas of uncrewed and autonomous systems. Applicants will be assessed against the requirements set out in the RFSA. Qualification will not guarantee a contract but may allow successful suppliers to compete for future work, including research, prototyping, testing, demonstrations, limited acquisitions and potential production opportunities.

The process is intended to engage a broad range of organizations, including start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises, established manufacturers, defence and aerospace firms, universities, colleges, research organizations and Indigenous businesses.
Previous defence experience is not necessarily required.
Relevant technical experience, security readiness and the ability to meet operational requirements will be assessed through the formal process.

The RFSA is open until August 14, 2026. To support interested suppliers, the DIA will host a virtual information session on July 30, 2026, to provide additional information on the RFSA and the submission process. Representatives from the Canadian Joint Forces Command will be present to answer any questions on capability requirements.

Participation in earlier outreach activities is not required to apply.

All formal procurement requirements and deadlines will be made available through CanadaBuys, the Government of Canada’s official electronic tendering service

Posted in Admin, Drone, International, Press Release | No Comments »

Spartan Precision Equipment Introduces New Phone Holder for Hunters and Shooters Who Want to Capture Every Moment

July 29th, 2026

East Sussex, UK (July 29, 2026) — For today’s hunters and shooters, documenting the experience has become nearly as important as the hunt itself. Whether recording a successful stalk, filming long-range shots for training, capturing trophy photos, or creating social media content, keeping both hands free while maintaining a steady camera angle can be challenging.

Spartan Precision Equipment has solved that problem with its new Phone Holder, an innovative accessory engineered specifically for use with Spartan Davros Heads and Ascent tripods. Designed to provide a stable, hands-free platform for virtually any smartphone, the Phone Holder enables hunters, guides, competitive shooters, and outdoor content creators to document every adventure without compromising mobility or performance.

“The outdoors offers countless moments worth remembering,” said Rob Gearing, Founder of Spartan Precision Equipment. “Our new Phone Holder lets hunters and shooters capture those experiences with the same precision and reliability they expect from every Spartan product.”

At a retail price of $55.00, the Phone Holder includes a Light Duty Optics Adapter that seamlessly integrates with Spartan’s mounting systems, making it a natural addition to any existing Spartan tripod setup. The holder features a dual-action adjustment system that securely accommodates smartphones from 59 mm to 94.5 mm wide and allows quick positioning in either portrait or landscape orientation. Universal optics integration and an ARCA-Swiss female mounting interface provide exceptional versatility for recording hunts, filming shooting drills, conducting virtual scouting sessions, photographing wildlife, or capturing instructional content in the field.

Weighing just 74 grams (2.6 ounces), the Phone Holder adds virtually no noticeable weight to a hunter’s pack while delivering the stability needed for crisp photos and smooth video. Its compact design makes it easy to carry, yet it’s rugged enough to withstand demanding hunting and shooting conditions, ensuring your smartphone is always ready to capture those once-in-a-lifetime moments.

Like every Spartan Precision Equipment product, the Phone Holder is backed by the Spartan Promise, the company’s commitment to supporting customers before, during, and after every hunt. Combining expert gear advice, ongoing aftercare, and an industry-leading guarantee, the Spartan Promise helps hunters and shooters get the maximum performance and value from every piece of equipment they own.

The Spartan Precision Equipment Phone Holder is available at retailers worldwide and conveniently online now for $55.00. For more information about the new Phone Holder and Spartan’s complete line of award-winning hunting accessories, visit www.javelinbipod.com.

Posted in Press Release, Weapon Accessories | No Comments »

TacJobs – USAF Seeks Volunteers for Lunar Lander Impact Study

July 29th, 2026

The Air Force Research Laboratory’s 711th Human Performance Wing is seeking active duty military volunteers for a collaborative study with NASA to evaluate the impact forces astronauts could experience while standing during a lunar landing.

The Wing’s Biodynamics team needs 10 to 12 active duty men and women for impact acceleration testing on the vertical deceleration tower. Testing will occur from August to September 2026, and the data collected could help establish injury risk curves for future lunar landers that will support NASA’s Artemis missions.

Read the full article to learn how Airmen can support NASA’s Artemis missions by volunteering for AFRL’s lunar landing impact study at www.airforcemedicine.af.mil/News/Display/Article/4554414/afrl-nasa-partner-to-test-lunar-landing-safety-active-duty-volunteers-needed.

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Space | 2 Comments »

Voyage Coat

July 29th, 2026

I’ve seen folks do this at the airport, load up pockets with stuff so they don’t have to pay extra baggage fees. This guy made a coat dedicated to the notion.

It features 16 pockets and will hold up to 14 lbs of clothing accorisng to the manufacturer, but I bet a motivated SSD reader could double that, at least.

It even comes with its own duffel.

voyagecoat.com/products/voyage-coat

Posted in Clothing, Load Carrying | 4 Comments »

GOTAK – UVPRO-MANPACK

July 29th, 2026

Built around the BTECH UV-50PRO 50W cross-band repeater, GOTAK has introduced the UVPRO-MANPACK.

ATAK Meshnet ready, this 50-watt repeater extends every handheld on your net and serves as an APRS gateway.

The BTECH radio leverages 200,000+ HAM and GMRS repeaters via a plugin which pulls the worldwide RepeaterBook directory straight into ATAK. Filter by band and distance, watch every match drop onto the map as a live marker, then push the frequency, offset, and tone to your BTECH radio with no manual programming.

The system also comes with five licenses for the Radio Relay ATAK plugin which allows your BTECH radio to connect to ATAK over Bluetooth as well as reach back to a TAK server.

The radio comes with a Berry compliant Eberlestock ROMAD pack while the radio and battery box are protected with an aluminum frame from Armoloq.

Learn more here.

Posted in Comms | No Comments »

Army Data Researchers Reshape Soldier-AI Collaboration to Strengthen, Accelerate Battlefield Planning

July 29th, 2026

FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Army data scientists designed an experimental AI-powered platform that could transform the military decision-making planning process, to compress planning timelines from days or hours to seconds and to enable rapid, adaptable decision-making on the future battlefield.

As part of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, or DEVCOM, Army Research Laboratory, which is the Army’s sole fundamental laboratory, the Course Of Action Generative Pre-trained Transformer, or COA-GPT, is part of the U.S. Army’s largest experiment exercise at Project Convergence Capstone 6 at Fort Irwin, Calif., from July 17-29. The COA-GPT is a scientific platform designed to accelerate mission planning and provide an adaptable and decisive framework for planning, intelligence and command to solve critical human-AI integration challenges,

“By fusing generative AI with hard-won military expertise and doctrine, COA-GPT provides Army leaders and warfighters, the ability to generate and compare innovative workflow options,” said Dr. Amar Marathe, DEVCOM ARL COA-GPT program manager. “We are not replacing Soldiers with AI—we are arming them with it. COA-GPT integrates seamlessly into the workflow to make military planners faster, more efficient, and more effective.”

COA-GPT represents more than four years of partnership between ARL and the U.S. Army Futures and Concepts Command’s Command and Control Future Capability Directorate. The team uses regular Soldier-driven experiments to characterize planning-related Soldier-AI integration challenges and ensure that COA-GPT reflects the direct feedback of the Soldiers the testbed platform is designed to support.

According to Marathe, a major scientific hurdle is clearly communicating intent to machines across a distributed team of Soldiers and systems. Through an industry partnership with Hyssos Tech, COA-GPT uses an advanced graphic interface within the testbed, enabling leaders across multiple echelons to use intuitive methods, like drawing on a shared map, to better direct agentic AI to reduce miscommunication, cognitive load and friction across personnel.

“We built COA-GPT with a plug-and-play architecture, giving researchers the freedom to easily swap components and test new AI capabilities without having to rebuild the entire system,” Marathe said.

The next steps include refinement of the COA-GPT testbed through rigorous Soldier feedback and industry collaboration. Future efforts will explore how generative AI shifts the traditional responsibilities of Army planning staffs, which new cognitive competencies planners need to prioritize, and how to optimize workflows, ultimately helping the Army maintain a decisive advantage.

By DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory Public Affairs Office

Posted in AI / ML, Army, Guest Post | No Comments »

DroneShield Breaks the Detection Paradigm: RfAI-3 Senses Drones That Have Never Been Seen Before

July 28th, 2026

Third generation of DroneShield’s proprietary RF detection engine delivers situational awareness in complex and evolving threat environments.Sydney, Australia – 28 July 2026 – DroneShield a global leader in advanced counter-drone (CUAS) technology, today unveiled RfAI-3, the third generation of its proprietary radio frequency intelligence engine. RfAI-3 marks a significant evolution in counter-drone doctrine, prioritizing wideband detection to sense drone threats beyond known and pre-classified emitters, delivering decisive situational awareness in the complex, rapidly evolving threat environments that define modern operations.

A New Detection Paradigm

Industry standard RF detection systems operate on a cataloged emitter model: a drone must be cataloged in an RF dataset before it can be reliably identified. As drone proliferation accelerates and adversaries deploy increasingly novel, commercially sourced, and purpose-built systems, this limitation creates a critical and growing gap.

RfAI-3 inverts the conventional approach. Rather than searching the spectrum for signals it already knows, the model detects the emissions present and then fingerprints each one against previously observed drone signatures. Where a match exists, the emitter is classified with full detail. Where it does not, RfAI-3 generates a signature for the unknown emission and presents it to the operator with a confidence assessment, ranked against the wider spectrum picture. Nothing is discarded for being unfamiliar, and every new signature the model generates becomes a reference for the next encounter.

Image: RfAI-3 senses unknown RF emissions within DroneSentry-C2 for operational context and rapid decision-making.

“The drone threat doesn’t wait for classification. RfAI-3 represents a fundamental shift in how we approach RF-based detection. We are no longer limited to seeing only what we already know. Wideband changes the calculus for our operators and for the adversaries trying to evade them,” said Angus Bean, Chief Executive Officer of DroneShield.

The RfAI Lineage

RfAI, initially developed in 2018, established the foundational RF detection architecture, delivering real-time classification of known drone emitters with precision that rule-based systems could not match.

RfAI-2, released in 2023, turned the RF intelligence dataset into a continuously expanding asset, with new drone models, protocols, and threat vectors identified through DroneShield’s ongoing acquisition and characterization program and distributed to the deployed fleet.

RfAI-3, unveiled today, builds on this robust foundation while breaking the paradigm. Wideband detection extends capability beyond the RF dataset entirely, surfacing drone emissions outside of any catalog. Combined with the continuously expanding RF intelligence dataset inherited from RfAI-2, the result is a detection capability that compounds over time while simultaneously operating beyond the boundaries of what it has previously encountered.

Intelligence That Compounds

A defining characteristic of the RfAI architecture, retained and accelerated in RfAI-3, is the continuously expanding RF intelligence dataset. DroneShield’s engineering teams maintain a rigorous program of emitter identification, classification, and integration, ensuring that known threat signatures are cataloged and distributed to the full deployed fleet.

This means the system’s performance against classified emitters compounds over time. An RfAI-3-powered deployment today will be more capable six months after commissioning than it is on day one, not because of a hardware upgrade, but because the intelligence it draws on continues to grow.

Delivery and Availability

RfAI-3 is specifically designed for DroneShield’s next-generation hardware platforms, with initial releases expected in the second half of calendar year 2026 and further releases through 2027. DroneShield’s existing product lineup continues to be supported under the company’s software subscription model, including ongoing delivery of expanded emitter coverage as the RF intelligence dataset grows.

Posted in C-UAS, Press Release | No Comments »

Red Cat and C3A Advance Black Widow Integration into OBERON-Enabled Fires Networks

July 28th, 2026

INTEGRATION SUPPORTS BLACK WIDOW’S ROLE AS A FORWARD ISR SENSOR WITHIN TACTICAL FIRES ARCHITECTURES

SALT LAKE CITY, July 23, 2026 — Red Cat Holdings, Inc.?(Nasdaq: RCAT) (“Red Cat” or the “Company”), a U.S.-based provider of advanced all-domain drone and robotic solutions for defense and national security, today announced that it has completed integration work with C3A Solutions (“C3A”) to connect Red Cat’s Black Widow™ small unmanned aircraft system with OBERON-enabled tactical fires networks.

C3A is a tactical systems integration company specializing in digital fires, tactical communications, and operational network integration for Army units at the tactical edge. Through the integration, Black Widow can serve as a forward ISR sensor within connected fires architectures, helping move sensor data, including video and targeting information, into tactical fires workflows.

“Modern battlefield advantage depends on how quickly intelligence can move from detection to decision,” said Jason Gunter, Vice President of Technology and Innovation at Red Cat. “Our work with C3A supports Red Cat’s broader vision of moving beyond standalone platforms toward integrated capabilities that connect sensors, systems and operators at the tactical edge. This is where small unmanned systems are headed, and where we believe Red Cat can play a critical role for the warfighter.”

C3A’s tactical integration portfolio includes support for fire control systems, operational targeting systems, precision fires platforms, tactical radios, laser designators, positioning, navigation and timing devices, and unmanned aerial vehicles. The company’s materials identify Black Widow and OBERON integration across fires and tactical networks as part of its unmanned aerial vehicle integration capabilities.

“C3A’s strength is translating emerging technology into field-ready capability,” said Dan Morgan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of C3A Solutions. “Our work with Red Cat helps ensure Black Widow can integrate into the digital fires environment in a way that is practical for soldiers and useful to commanders. By connecting sensors, radios and fires systems in the field, we can help units reduce friction, move information with greater confidence, and keep pace with the speed of modern operations.”

The collaboration reflects Red Cat’s continued focus on interoperability and mission-driven integration across its Family of Systems. By working with field-focused integration partners like C3A, Red Cat is helping ensure its systems can connect into existing and emerging tactical architectures used by military customers.

Posted in Drone, Fires, Press Release | No Comments »