Public safety agencies across the U.S. increasingly rely on Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), commonly known as drones, for critical operations. These versatile tools assist with search and rescue, fire response, disaster assessment, and more. However, recent events raise concerns about potential vulnerabilities in the supply chains for this technology.

A Case Study in Disruption:

The recent Chinese sanctions on Skydio, a major US drone manufacturer, serve as a cautionary tale. Skydio's reliance on a Chinese subsidiary for batteries left them scrambling after sanctions disrupted supply. This incident underscores the potential risks associated with dependence on foreign-sourced drone components.

The Defense Innovation Unit held a three-day Blue UAS Refresh event, testing over 35 drones at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center.

The concept of Blue UAS has emerged as one of the hottest topics impacting the U.S. drone industry over the past several years. Originally perceived by the drone industry largely as an interesting concept, Blue UAS has now emerged as the Holy Grail for many drone manufacturers and solutions providers who want to sell their products to Federal agencies – and beyond.

Join us for this DRONERESPONDERS Special Event Webinar as we take an inside look at the Blue UAS program. You'll hear directly from the people responsible for the Blue UAS program, managers from the Autonomy Portfolio at the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), a United States Department of Defense (DoD) organization founded to help the U.S. military make faster use of emerging commercial technologies.