AIDC

1 months agoNews Editor

AIDC unveils Black Wing X drone, says 2027 could mark its first revenue year for UAV products

Aerospace manufacturer Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC, 2634) used the 2026 Taichung AI Applications and Smart Manufacturing Expo to showcase a slate of drone and counter-drone technologies, including the debut of its Black Wing X prototype. The company said the platform is designed as a highly mobile loitering strike drone with a 100-kilometer precision strike range and can search, identify and engage moving targets on land and at sea. AIDC also presented AIxVNAV, a visual navigation and positioning system built for GPS-denied environments. The system combines AIDC’s flight science experience with Raptor Guide visual navigation software from U.S.-based Vantor, using onboard cameras and AI terrain matching for positioning. According to the company, the technology has already completed live-flight verification at a Presidential Cup competition site. On the counter-UAV side, AIDC said its UAV Countermeasure System integrates active radar, RF detection, optical and infrared sensors, jammers and command-and-control functions. The company said the system has already been deployed to protect power plants, ports and airports, and has supported security drills run by Taiwan’s Agency of Corrections. AIDC added that its partnership with Shield AI on the V-BAT VTOL drone has won a Coast Guard Administration contract worth about NT$1.2 billion, with deliveries expected to begin by the end of this year.

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Japan

4 months agoNews Editor

Japan completes first drone flight controlled directly through Starlink

Japanese telecom operator KDDI has completed what the report describes as Japan’s first drone flight controlled directly through Starlink, using the company’s au Starlink Direct service in an area without mobile network coverage. The test connected a Skydio X10 drone to satellite-based telemetry and flight control, and the company presented the result at MWC26 as part of a broader communications infrastructure showcase. According to the report, KDDI developed au Starlink Direct with SpaceX to use direct satellite links in places affected by terrain limits and cellular dead zones. The system is positioned not only for smartphones, but also for drones and IoT devices. KDDI said the setup could help remote operators monitor drone status and data in real time, including after disasters that damage ground base stations and disrupt terrestrial communications. The report also outlined a larger automation plan built around a dedicated drone dock for the Skydio X10. KDDI said the dock supports remote deployment, charging, and automated takeoff and landing, with a stated goal of getting a drone to any location in Japan within 10 minutes after an alert. At the same time, the article noted that wider commercial deployment remains subject to aviation rules, especially for beyond visual line of sight operations.

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Iran

4 months agoNews Editor

Jin10: Iran's Revolutionary Guard reportedly shot down a U.S. MQ-1 drone in the Strait of Hormuz

ChainCatcher, citing Jin10, reported that Iran's Revolutionary Guard shot down a U.S. MQ-1 drone in the Strait of Hormuz. The brief did not provide additional details on the timing of the incident, the exact location within the strait, or any follow-up response. No further information was included in the source text beyond the reported downing of the aircraft and the parties involved. As provided, the item remains a short breaking update rather than a full report.

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