Drones
+ Follow“Drones” encompass remotely controlled or AI-powered autonomous aerial systems used across defense, logistics, agriculture and public health. Recent development has focused on highly autonomous combat operations and swarm formations. The U.S. military is advancing programs including CCA and MQ-28, while European and Taiwanese companies are accelerating their efforts. New civilian applications include mosquito control and delivery services. Communications security, China-free supply chains and government investment have also become critical competitive factors. The technology’s maturity, mass-production capacity and regulatory direction will shape defense security, industrial specialization and business models, making them important areas to watch.
Key Moments
6 selectedThe full history is split into 6 equal periods by event count, taking the most-covered story from each. Coverage rises and falls with the news cycle, so sampling period by period keeps the most recent events from taking everything.
- 2026-08-31 U.S. Curbs Push China’s Drone and Robot Makers Toward New Markets 1 report
- 2026-07-23 Jing Rui Guang Wins Ukraine Drone Order, Expands AI Compute Push 1 report
- 2026-06-25 MQ-28 Ghost Bat Makes US-Led Exercise Debut at Valiant Shield 2 reports
- 3 more key moments Sign up to see the full context
Event Timeline
32 core events5 peripheral mentions — events mainly about something else
Subscribe to Mark Radar Weekly
Every Friday, the week's strongest signals in your inbox. Unsubscribe anytime.