Blue sUAS drones less capable, more expensive

Source: Teal

News and Commentary. A recent Financial Times article (article behind paywall) reports on a DOI memo stating that Blue sUAS are more expensive, less capable than other Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) drones- and still include Chinese parts.

The Blue sUAS list of 5 drone solutions was published by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) in response to security concerns over China-made drone technology.  This list of drone solutions – not drone companies, but specific models – includes drones developed in collaboration with the DoD’s Defense Innovation Unit, which meet the DoD’s security and functionality requirements.

Originally designed to identify small drones that could be purchased with DoD funding, the list has since been adopted by other government agencies and some commercial industries as a “safe” list.  Some industry players say that publication of the list has provided the 5 companies included on the list with an unfair market advantage.  A…