Red Cat Holdings, a leading drone technology provider, catering to military, government, and commercial customers, is on a roll with a string of recent announcements.
Firstly, Red Cat's subsidiary, Teal Drones, has been granted a second order, valued at $2.6 million, to provide the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) with their Teal 2 drone systems. This comes in succession to an initial order of similar value, placed earlier on August 8. Cumulatively, these contracts from the DLA have reached $5.2 million for a total of 344 units, primarily aimed to support the U.S. Air Force Security Forces in safeguarding Air Force installations.
Jeff Thompson, CEO of Red Cat, expressed gratitude towards the Air Force for the reinforced trust in their technology, specifically highlighting the drone's state-of-the-art night vision capabilities. The sourcing for these acquisitions was facilitated by Noble Supply & Logistics, LLC (NOBLE), under the DLA’s Special Operational Equipment Tailored Logistics Support (SOE TLS) Program—a comprehensive initiative with a ceiling value of $33 billion, spanning a decade.
The Teal 2 drone, deemed a superior small drone for night operations, comes integrated with Teledyne FLIR’s Hadron 640R sensor, which offers top-tier thermal imaging. It also encompasses advanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance technology, ensuring timely information dissemination for swift decision-making by operators.
In another commendable stride, the Teal 2 drone received the Remote ID certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This technology, mandatory for all UAS in the U.S. airspace system by September 16, provides real-time identification and location data through a broadcast signal, amplifying safety and security measures.
The integrated Remote ID system in the Teal 2 drone uses Bluetooth 5 to transmit data, surpassing the range of competing systems. Brendan Stewart, Red Cat's Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, elucidated the company’s vision and commitment, emphasizing the drone's compliance with future FAA regulations.
Red Cat’s Remote ID technology underwent rigorous testing in New York in association with NUAIR, ensuring compliance with the ASTM International standard F3586-22. NUAIR CEO, Ken Stewart, applauded the achievement, underlining the significance of Remote ID in the evolution of the commercial drone space.
To stay aligned with FAA mandates, all U.S.-sold Teal 2 units will incorporate Remote ID. Additionally, Red Cat is paving the way for prior Teal 2 owners to retrofit their drones with the Remote ID modules, a move commended by Brendan Stewart for the company’s dedication to long-term product quality and compliance.
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