Draganfly Drone Partners with the US Department of Defense
© Draganfly
During the Gulf War in the early 1990s, the United States began experimenting with drone technology on a larger scale. At the time, drones were still in their nascent stage, but it was clear that they had great tactical potential. San Diego-based defense and energy firm General Atomics was tasked with building a war-ready drone for the US Air Force. What resulted were possibly two of the most famous drones ever built: the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper drones. The drones resembled small aircraft, weighed between 2,250 lbs and 10,500 lbs when fully loaded, had a maximum speed of 135 mph to 300 mph, and an operational range of 800 miles to 1,000 miles. Each drone cost upwards of $40 million. In response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, President George W. Bush gave the US Air Force the green light to begin fully operating the drones. The success of the new drone program was monumental, leading to the development of drones used today in military, commercial, and recreational fields.
The United States has continued to invest billions of dollars into the development of drone technology. They still rely heavily on large drones like the Predator and Reaper. However, as the landscape of modern military operations has changed, so too have the requirements for drone technology. Of particular interest are small, multi-use, cost-effective drones, much like the small drones dominating the civilian commercial industry but scaled up to meet military standards.
On September 5, 2024, it was announced that the US Department of Defense (DoD) had placed an order for a shipment of drones from the Canadian drone manufacturer Draganfly. In 1998, Zenon Dragan and a few of his colleagues added some fan motors to a helium balloon, turning it into a remote-controlled flying saucer for fun. This ended up being the catalyst for Zenon to immediately found Draganfly.
In less than a year, Draganfly released the first official commercial quadcopter. Law enforcement agencies began showing interest in the drone technology that Draganfly was experimenting with. The team began working with Canadian law enforcement representatives to develop a drone tailored to the unique needs of law enforcement. “We understood the customer’s challenge—their job was to be in control of the situation, not to be burdened with a difficult flying experience. We wanted to make a drone that anyone could fly,” Zenon said.
With this goal in mind, Draganfly released the Draganflyer X6 in 2008. “The Draganflyer X6 changed the drone world,” Zenon said. “Not only was it the world’s first six-rotor helicopter, it also started the small unmanned aircraft market.” By 2013, a Draganfly drone was credited with being the first drone to ever actively save a human life. The drones were being used by emergency personnel throughout North America for search and rescue, crime scene investigations, and a wide range of day-to-day law enforcement operations. Draganfly has continued to expand their drone hardware and software, building a cache of customizable and affordable drones.
This is what caught the attention of the DoD. Acting through the contracting firm Virtual Reality Rehab Inc. (VRR), the DoD purchased a number of Draganfly Commander 3XL and Flex FPV drones. The 3XL drones will serve as remote transport vehicles for the FPV drones, which will be used in swarm scenarios, tentatively for situational awareness. “This is truly where Draganfly shines,” Draganfly CEO and President Cameron Chell said, “integrating its full line of drones, experience, and technology stack into systems with commercial and military partners that provide exceptional capabilities in time frames and at costs that few others can.”
Working with the DoD via VRR is a huge step for Draganfly. Ultimately, it will help Draganfly have the resources necessary to improve upon their existing technology, bringing it to its full potential. For the military personnel who will be using these drones, they will have the tools they need to do their jobs and return home safely. In an interview from 2016, Zenon said, “Our team are innovators. We start by understanding a problem and then inventing a solution. We want to help people get the information that they need.” The team at Draganfly has upheld these ideals in a way that will bring forth the future of drone technology across multiple fields, including military, law enforcement, and civilian industries.
|