flight wave is approved as a Trusted Drone Provider by the US Federal Government through the Defense Innovation Unit’s Blue sUAS 2.0 program. DIU’s Blue sUAS adds long-range drone FlightWave Edge 130 VTOL.
FlightWave Aerospace provides VTOL drones, sensors and software solutions. 
FlightWave has been named to the first round of Blue sUAS 2.0 vendors in December 2021. This is intended to allow DIU to expand the versatility, functionality and affordability of sUAS on the Blue sUAS Cleared List. FlightWave today announced that it has completed the process of receiving an Authority To Operate (ATO) designation under the DoD Defense Innovation Unit’s Blue sUAS 2.0 program. The NDAA-compliant Edge 130 long-range VTOL is now on the Blue UAS list. This means it has been approved for procurement by the US Department of Defense (DoD) and US federal agencies.
“After months of cyber penetration testing and supply chain analysis, the U.S. Air Force has granted ATO to five FlightWave camera payloads, including Edge 130 Blue, Edge 130 Blue GCS, Mission Planner, and Overwatch Gimbal and Mapping Array. The drone system also successfully completed a series of demonstrations, providing DIU with information on its mission planning and launch capabilities, range and durability, NDAA compliance, operational safety of flight procedures, and cybersecurity. and provided verification,” said a FlightWave press release.
The Blue sUAS Edge 130 Blue is specifically designed for government and military ISR, mapping and mission planning applications. Featuring long-range autonomy and high-precision data capture, the Edge 130 Blue can be used to provide near real-time situational awareness to ground forces. VTOL’s light weight – 1200g (2.65lbs) – gives the Edge a flight endurance of over 2 hours in forward flight mode. Edge says, “One pilot can quickly deploy from assembly to manual launch, and one user can capture images in his minute to generate his 3D model, terrain and thermal maps. ’” Press said in his release.
Larry Birkin, FlightWave’s Chief Commercial and Operating Officer, said: Automated defense capabilities will play an increasingly important role in the U.S. defense program and are essential for the U.S. to remain competitive. FlightWave is a leader in this field, developing cutting-edge technology for drones. We are proud to support DIU and the work they are doing on his Blue UAS program. ”
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