In 2015, the United States Department of Defense (DoD) established the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). Headquartered in California’s Silicon Valley, with offices in the Pentagon, Boston, Austin, and Chicago, the DIU’s mission is to expedite technological advancements for U.S. military and federal agencies. As stated on the organization’s website, “DIU is the only DoD organization focused exclusively on fielding and scaling commercial technology across the U.S. military at commercial speeds. Our expert team, working in seven critical technology sectors, engages directly within the venture capital and commercial technology innovation ecosystem, many of which are working with the DoD for the first time. Our streamlined process delivers prototypes to our DoD partners, along with scalable revenue opportunities for our commercial vendors, within 12 to 24 months.”

The DIU focuses on areas concerning autonomy, artificial intelligence, human systems, space, emerging technology, energy, and cyber and telecom applications. However, what it has become best known for is the creation of the Blue UAS list, a directory of drones that are approved for use by federal agencies. The global drone industry began to gather traction around the same time as the establishment of the DIU. By 2020, it became abundantly clear to the United States that advanced security screening protocols had to be put in place to accommodate the massive influx of drone technology options.

Prior to this industry growth, federal and military agencies looking to purchase drone technology had a limited number of vendors to choose from. Then, suddenly, there were countless domestic and foreign drone vendors to choose from. Concerns over cybersecurity for drones being used in federal and military capacities prompted the DIU’s creation of the Blue UAS list. To be added to and remain on the list, vendors must meet a set of standards that include, but are not limited to: having a DoD sponsor to fast-track inclusion, offering a platform that provides a new application, not significantly overlapping with an existing platform, meeting the supply and demand needs of the end user, and continuing to improve the platform to meet emerging trends.

The first Blue UAS list included drones from five manufacturers: Skydio, Parrot Anafi USA, Teal Drones, Vantage Robotics, and Altavian. The fact that all five of these original vendors were American companies was not a coincidence. The DoD was also determined that the DIU promote the growth of the U.S. drone industry. In 2021, the DIU released the Blue UAS 2.0 list, which included the following approved vendors: Ascent AeroSystems, BlueHalo, Easy Aerial, FlightWave Aerospace Systems Corporation, Freefly Systems East, Harris Aerial, Inspired Flight Technologies Inc., Vision Aerial, senseFly Inc., and Wingtra AG.

All of the drone vendors on the Blue UAS 2.0 list were once again U.S.-based companies, with the exception of senseFly and Wingtra, which are both Swiss companies. The Blue UAS list program was quickly proving its validity in fast-tracking the approval of drones for purchase by federal and military agencies, acting as a technology incubator, and strengthening the domestic drone industry. However, the DoD soon realized that the current unofficial requirement of being a domestic drone vendor was limiting access to technology that could be beneficial to DoD end users.

The DIU clarified that the creation of the Blue UAS list was to rapidly and cost-effectively allow DoD agencies to purchase the drone technology they need. “The Blue UAS listing does not preclude the Government from purchasing any other UAS that are certified compliant by the purchasing Government organization,” the organization’s website states. Federal and military agencies are free to purchase drones that are not on the list as long as the devices meet the required standards. However, the procurement of these devices would be longer and more costly than for Blue UAS-vetted devices.

To further meet the demands of the DoD’s drone industry interests, the DIU recently updated the Blue UAS list. The list reflects the removal of some vendors as well as the addition of new ones, all of which are domestic drone manufacturers. The current Blue UAS list includes multiple platforms from the following vendors: Anduril, Easy Aerial, FlightWave, Freefly, Hoverfly Technologies, Neros Technologies, PDW, Skydio, Teal Drones, and Zone 5 Technologies. As the U.S. military and federal agencies continue to embrace emerging technologies, the DIU’s Blue UAS list plays a crucial role in ensuring that drone technology is both secure and innovative. By streamlining the approval process and promoting the growth of the domestic drone industry, the DIU is not only enhancing national security but also fostering a competitive environment that accelerates technological advancements.

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