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DOJ Seeks to Seize $500K in USDT from Iran Drone Supplier’s Private Wallet

by admin September 13, 2025



In brief

  • The U.S. DOJ has filed a civil forfeiture action to recover over $500,000 in USDT from an Iranian national.
  • Per the DOJ, Mohammad Abedini is founder of Iranian firm SDRA, which supplies technology used in Iran’s Shahed military drones.
  • The USDT tokens were said to be kept in an unhosted cryptocurrency wallet, posing questions over how the seizure could be effected.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts has filed a civil forfeiture action to recover approximately $584,741 in Tether (USDT) stablecoins from an Iranian national who provided technology to the Iranian military.

The tokens were said to be kept in an unhosted cryptocurrency wallet, though authorities gave no further details.

Mohammad Abedini, 39, is founder and managing director of San’at Danesh Rahpooyan Aflak Co. (SDRA), an Iranian firm that supplies technology used in drones to the country’s military.

SDRA provides navigation equipment to the firm that produces Shahed drones, which have been widely used in Iran’s drone strikes, by Russia in the war in Ukraine, and by several Middle Eastern military groups.

In January 2024, three U.S. service members were killed on a military base in northern Jordan. Later analysis revealed that an Iranian Shahed UAV using SDRA’s Sepehr Navigation System was responsible for the attack, according to the DOJ.

Abedini is charged with providing material support to foreign terrorist organizations resulting in death, as well as conspiring to procure sensitive U.S. technology used in military drones. He was detained by Italian authorities in December 2024, but was released in January 2025. Per the DOJ, he is now believed to be in Iran.

According to claims from the nonprofit Iran Watch, from 2016 to 2024, Abedini and his business partner allegedly smuggled U.S.-origin electronics and technical data from American manufacturers and re-exported them from Switzerland to Iran. Because the devices were so small, they could reportedly have been carried in a suitcase. These allegations have not yet been proven.

Can the government seize crypto from private wallets?

Seizing crypto from private wallets is not straightforward. Unlike centralized exchanges such as Coinbase or Binance, there is no intermediary for governments to compel—wallet owners control their own keys. However, the U.S. government has managed to do it before.

In 2022, the DOJ seized 94,000 BTC (worth roughly $3.6 billion at the time) from Ilya Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan, who carried out the record-breaking Bitfinex hack.

According to the announcement, investigators traced the stolen Bitcoin through multiple mixers and eventually located the couple’s private keys after gaining access to an online cloud storage account.

In other instances, federal investigators have performed digital forensics on confiscated laptops in order to obtain private keys, as in the case of Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht.

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September 13, 2025 0 comments
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GameFi Guides

US Authorities Seize $600K USDT From Iranian Drone Program Operator

by admin September 13, 2025


Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

The Attorney’s Office of the District of Massachusetts has announced the confiscation of nearly $600,000 in USDT from Iranian national Mohammad Abedini. Concurrently, US authorities are also seeking the civil forfeiture of the seized crypto assets.

Abedini Faces US Case Over Alleged Iran Drone Role

In a statement released by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday, Abedini is named the founder and managing director of SDRA, an Iranian firm accused of supplying critical technology to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). 

In particular, SDRA specializes in the production of navigation modules, including its flagship product, the Sepehr Navigation System, which has been widely integrated into the IRGC’s fleet of military drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles.

According to prosecutors, Abedini’s company has worked closely with the IRGC Aerospace Force, which is regarded as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO), since at least 2014. Between 2021 and 2022, roughly 99% of SDRA’s sales of the Sepehr Navigation System, designed for one-way attack drones, were made directly to the IRGC Aerospace Force. 

In January 2024, forensic analysis of a drone strike that killed three US service members and injured more than 40 others at Tower 22, a military installation in northern Jordan, identified the vector as an Iranian-made Shahed UAV, equipped with the Sepehr Navigation System manufactured by SDRA.

Abedini was arrested by Italian authorities in December 2024 and was charged in federal court in Boston for providing digital and material support to a foreign terrorist organization. However, the Iranian national was soon released by the Italian government and is now believed to be in Iran.

The DOJ Case For USDT Forfeiture

US authorities have also seized $584,741 USDT from an un-hosted wallet address believed to belong to Abedini. Presently, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts has filed for a civil forfeiture action, which would allow the DOJ to take control of these crypto assets without needing to convict Abedini.

US authorities have explained its rationale behind this case, stating:

US law authorizes the forfeiture of all assets of individuals or entities engaged in planning or perpetrating a federal crime of terrorism against the United States, citizens or residents of the United States, or their property and all assets, foreign or domestic, affording any person a source of influence over any such entity.

Interestingly, all claims by the DOJ in the civil forfeiture and also criminal complaints remain merely allegations, designating Abedini as an innocent man until proven otherwise.

Total crypto market cap valued at $4.02 trillion on the daily chart | Source: TOTAL chart on Tradingview.com

Featured image from Reuters, chart from Tradingview

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September 13, 2025 0 comments
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The best drone for 2025

by admin September 8, 2025


Whether you’re chasing cinematic landscapes or just want to snap the ultimate selfie from above, finding the best drone comes down to knowing what kind of flying experience you’re after. From compact foldable options you can slip into a backpack to advanced models that shoot silky-smooth 4K footage, today’s drones come packed with features that cater to everyone — from first-time flyers to seasoned drone pilots.

If you’re new to the skies, an entry-level drone with built-in safety features and multiple flight modes is a great place to start. If you prefer portability, a mini drone might be the perfect travel companion, especially one with a decent flight time and a responsive remote controller. For creators, the best camera drones often include a stabilized 4K camera for professional-level videography and are just as comfortable pairing with an Android device as they are with iOS. And if you’re working with a tighter budget, there are plenty of budget drone options that don’t skimp on core features like quadcopter stability, wind resistance or intelligent flight paths.

We’ve tested drones across a wide range of categories to help you find the right fit — whether you’re capturing epic sunsets, flying drones for fun in the backyard or learning the ropes as a hobbyist.

Table of contents

Best drones for 2025

Steve Dent for Engadget

Type: Mini camera drone | Flight time: Up to 34 minutes | Camera resolution: 48 MP | Video resolution: 4K at up to 100 fps | Weight: Under 249 grams

Read our full DJI Mini 4 Pro review

DJI’s Mini 4 Pro can do it all at a very reasonable price. It has an excellent onboard camera with a 1/1.3-inch sensor, 24mm f/1.7 lens, support for 4K 100 fps video with D-LogM, HLG and HDR capture and up to 48MP still photography. Endurance is around 45 minutes with the Intelligent Flight Plus battery and it can fly up to 12.4 miles away in unobstructed terrain, all while transmitting a 1080p 60 fps signal to your controller.

It has multiple subject tracking modes so it’s ideal for vlogging, and obstacle detection sensors on all sides help keep it out of danger. On top of that, it weighs less than 249 grams so it’s exempt from licensing requirements in most regions. Best of all, and I can’t say this enough, it’s priced reasonably and even the basic kit comes with an RC-N2 smartphone controller.

Pros

  • Maneuverable
  • Improved obstacle avoidance
  • New ActiveTrack 360 feature is great
  • Solid image quality

Cons

  • Still far from crashproof
  • A bit expensive
  • Not the best for night scenes

$759 at DJI

Autel Robotics

Type: Camera drone | Flight time: Up to 40 minutes | Camera resolution: 20 MP | Video resolution: 6K at 30 fps | Weight: 835 grams

If you prefer to not buy DJI drones due to the (very reasonable) risk that they may soon disappear from the US market, I’d recommend Autel. That company is based in China as well but some of its drones are made in the US and it isn’t on any sanctions lists. Autel’s Robotics Evo Lite+ has similar autonomous and obstacle detection features to the DJI Air 3S, while adding higher resolution 6K video and a 1-inch sensor, though it lacks a secondary camera. Battery life is a very solid 40 minutes and it has a maximum range of 7.5 miles with no obstacles.

Pros

  • Good autonomous and obstacle detection features
  • Supports 6K video
  • Solid battery life

$899 at Amazon

Steve Dent for Engadget

Type: Mini selfie drone | Flight time: Up to 18 minutes | Camera resolution: 12 MP | Video resolution: 4K at 30 fps | Weight: 135 grams

Read our full DJI Neo review

Last year, I called DJI’s $200 Neo the camera product of the year, period. It’s a remarkably lightweight drone that can be piloted without a license and is people-safe thanks to its shrouded propellers. It’s great for beginners as you can simply place it in your hand and press a button, then it’ll fly off and capture cool programmed shots like “dronies.”

Just because it’s approachable doesn’t mean it’s basic, though. You can pilot the Neo manually using DJI’s controllers, FPV goggles and even a smartphone. It can hit speeds up to 20 mph while being highly maneuverable. And with the built-in AI features, it can track you while you walk or bike, making it a vlogger’s best friend. Finally, it can capture all your footage at 4K 30p, with surprisingly good quality. The main issue is the banshee-like noise it emits, but overall, it’s a highly useful product at a great price point.

Pros

  • Quick and maneuverable
  • Inexpensive
  • Includes high-end features
  • Beginner friendly

Cons

  • No vertical video
  • Sounds like a banshee
  • Top speeds require specific controller

$199 at Amazon

Steve Dent for Engadget

Type: Mini camera drone | Flight time: Up to 31 minutes | Camera resolution: 48 MP | Video resolution: 4K at up to 100 fps | Weight: 249 grams

Read our full DJI Flip review

DJI’s $439 Flip has a clever, user-friendly design, with all four propellers folding down and stacking below the body like some kind of Star Wars spacecraft. This helps protect the propellers to limit damage or injury in case of a collision. That people-safe design lets creators take high-quality 4K 60p video indoors (with D-LogM, HLG and HDR), even with dim lighting, thanks to the relatively large 1/1.3-inch sensor. Though the light weight allows you to fly it without a permit, the large surface and slowish speeds means it’s not ideal outdoors in windy conditions. And though the Flip offers sophisticated subject tracking modes, it has limited obstacle detection when that function is enabled. Still, it’s a powerful drone with up to a 10-mile range that offers a lot of functionality for the price.

Pros

  • Sharp and smooth 4K video
  • People-safe design
  • Excellent battery life
  • No license needed

Cons

  • Obstacle detection is very limited
  • Bulkier than the competition
  • Not great in wind

$439 at Amazon

HoverAir

Type: Mini selfie drone | Flight time: Up to 16 minutes | Camera resolution: 48 MP | Video resolution: 8K at 30 fps | Weight: 192.5 grams

Like the Flip, the $699 HoverAir X1 ProMax offers features like a folding, people-safe design, and a 1/1.3-inch sensor. However, unlike DJI’s model, the HoverAir X1 ProMax can dodge obstacles while tracking people, making it superior for that purpose. It’s also a touch faster with a maximum tracking speed of up to 26 mph and offers up to 8K 30 fps video, along with 4K 120 fps slo-mo footage. The main drawback, as mentioned, is the short 1km max range (with the optional beacon controller) and limited 16-minute battery life.

Pros

  • Folding design
  • Good people tracking with obstacle avoidance
  • Max tracking speed of 26 mph
  • Support for 8K 30 fps video

$700 at B&H Photo

DJI

Type: Professional camera drone | Flight time: Up to 43 minutes | Camera resolution: 20 MP (main), additional telephoto lenses | Video resolution: Up to 5.1K at 50 fps | Weight: 958 grams

Read our full DJI Mavic 3 Pro hands-on

DJI’s Mavic 3 Pro is the best cinema drone if budget is no object, thanks to the Hasselblad Four Thirds primary camera with full D-Log capture (up to 4K 120 fps) that allows for excellent picture quality in most conditions. It also carries both 3x and 7x telephoto cameras that work well not just for creative content capture, but also things like wildlife spotting and search and rescue. Battery life is excellent at 43 minutes and range is a respectable 9.3 miles. Naturally, it has all of DJI’s ActiveTrack subject tracking features and is covered with obstacle detection sensors on all sides.

Pros

  • Support for 4K 120 fps video
  • Good subject tracking and obstacle detection
  • Good battery life

$3,150 at Amazon

Steve Dent for Engadget

Type: Camera drone | Flight time: Up to 45 minutes | Camera resolution: 50 MP (wide-angle), 48 MP (telephoto) | Video resolution: 4K at up to 120 fps | Weight: Not specified

Read our full DJI Air 3S review

The DJI Air 3S has a unique dual-camera setup that allows you to capture many types of shots. The 50-megapixel, 1-inch sensor wide camera with a 24mm f/1.8 lens supports 4K recording up to 120 fps and 1080p at 240 fps, along with D-LogM to improve dynamic range. The secondary 70mm (3x) zoom camera has a still-decent 1.3-inch sensor, and supports the same video specs and color modes as the primary.

Battery life is ample at 45 minutes and the Air 3S can sense obstacles in all directions. The addition of a forward-facing LiDAR sensor aids detection in low light, making the ActiveTrack subject-tracking feature more versatile. With its high speeds up to 45 mph, the Air 3S can be used in windy conditions and can range as far as 12.5 miles away. It has 45 GB of internal storage as well, on top of a microSD slot. The basic kit is reasonably priced, but I’d recommend paying a bit more to get it in the Fly More kit with extra batteries.

Pros

  • Excellent image quality
  • LiDAR improves obstacle detection at night
  • ActiveTrack 360 produces cinematic tracking shots
  • Long battery life
  • Now has 42GB internal storage

Cons

  • Sometimes fails to detect small obstacles

$1,099 at DJI

Nathanael Charpentier for Engadget

Type: FPV racing drone | Flight time: Up to 23 minutes | Camera resolution: Not specified | Video resolution: 4K at up to 100 fps | Weight: 410 grams

Read our full DJI Avata 2 review

The Avata 2 is known for being DJI’s main FPV drone, and yes, it can get as fast as 60 mph and its acrobatic abilities allow you to create exciting first-person footage. It’s more than just that, though. The 1/1.3-inch sensor camera can shoot high-quality 4K footage at up to 100 fps in D-LogM and HDR modes, matching the quality you get with the Mini 4 Pro. The protected propellers make it highly resistant to crashes and allow you to use the Avata 2 indoors or around people. It lacks obstacle detection sensors though, instead relying on its tough design and prop guards to survive crashes. Since battery life is only about 20 minutes, it’s best to buy the Avata 2 in the Fly More combo which includes an updated headset, three batteries and the latest RC Motion 3 controller.

Pros

  • Improved video quality
  • Better maneuverability
  • Cheaper
  • Longer battery life

Cons

  • Goggles 3 may lack comfort for some

$999 at Amazon

What to look for in a drone

Camera features

For this guide, we’re looking only at drones that are basically flying cameras, so you want the best video and photo features possible. Bigger devices like DJI’s Mavic 3 Pro or Air 3S carry relatively large sensors, offering superior camera quality for nighttime cityscapes or other low-light scenes. Smaller models like the Mini 4 Pro and HoverAir X1 Max use smaller camera sensors, so they aren’t as good in dim light.

Field of view and minimum aperture are also important, with most drones typically having a wide-angle focal length, though a few others like the HoverAir X1 Max carry an ultrawide lens. Some models have multiple cameras including a wide and a zoom. As for aperture, lower numbers are better and allow for shooting in dim light. Most DJI models are solid in this regard, while the HoverAir models don’t perform as well.

Video resolution and slow-mo are also essential camera capabilities. Most drones these days can shoot at 4K with a frame rate of at least 30 fps, though some offer 6K or even 8K at up to 30 fps. Higher-end models can shoot 4K at up to 120 fps, allowing you to slow down the action dramatically to create a cinematic look.

Other noteworthy features include log or HDR video that supports higher dynamic range, particularly in bright and sunny conditions. Finally, the camera’s gimbal and stabilization are important factors to keep your footage looking as smooth as possible. Some drones have gimbals that can rotate the camera 90 degrees to give social media creators the maximum resolution for vertical formats.

Drone features: Speed, range, safety, battery life and obstacle detection

By and large, there are two types of camera drones to consider. The first are standard drones (usually with open propellers but not always) designed to fly outside and take scenic shots. Often there’s nothing to stop the props from striking skin or objects, so they can’t really be used indoors or around people. Some models like the DJI Neo and Flip have prop guards that better protect bystanders and property, as well as the drone itself.

Then there’s first-person-view (FPV) camera drones, which often have propeller guards and are meant to be used both indoors or outside to capture exciting footage. Standard models don’t need to go particularly fast as they’re mainly used to shoot fun videos for social media, but FPV drones need to move at high speeds to create excitement. Because of that speed, they’re also better in breezy conditions thanks to stronger wind resistance, and they can fight gusts and return home more quickly. Acrobatic abilities (often promoted by the manufacturer in ads or packaging) are also important for FPV drones, as it allows the user to perform tricks and zip around obstacles.

Battery life is another important factor. The best drones boast a battery endurance of up to 45 minutes, while FPV drones like the Avata 2 can only fly for about half that time as they tend to be heavier and carry smaller batteries to reduce weight. As a general rule, a single battery isn’t enough for any serious shooting so you’d do well to buy your drone in a kit with a few batteries and a charger.

As for range, DJI tends to dominate in this area, with its latest models able to maintain a video signal at a distance up to 20km (12.4 miles). HoverAir’s models are weaker with the top-end X1 Max model limited to just 1km (0.6 miles) when using the optional beacon system. DJI also offers multiple ways to control its drones including headsets, joystick-type controllers, motion detection controllers and smartphones.

The best drones have sensors to detect obstacles in all directions. Others are limited to only avoiding obstructions coming at them from the front and some only rely on the main camera to prevent crashes. Finally, if you want to have your drone follow you around automatically, you’ll need it to be able to track you around when you’re vlogging, riding a bike or skiing, while also avoiding obstacles. Smooth takeoff and return-to-home features are especially valuable here for both beginners and experienced drone pilots as well.

Best drone FAQs

What are the rules for owning a drone?

Anyone can buy any drone, but once purchased, all drones between 250g and 25 kg must be registered with the FAA and marked with the FAA registration number. Recreational pilots with drones over 249g must pass the recreational UAS safety “TRUST” exam and carry proof of TRUST completion when flying a drone. Commercial pilots must obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA. You must be aware of and avoid any areas with airspace restrictions, particularly around airports.

Are drones safe to fly in the city?

In general, it is not legal to fly a drone within city limits over populations, as a crash from a high altitude could injure or kill someone. However, they can be flown over adjacent, non-populated areas in many cases. Here is a guide to where: https://uavcoach.com/where-to-fly-drone/

What is the average flight time of a drone?

Most drones can fly for around 20-30 minutes, though some advanced models like DJI’s Mavic 4 can fly up to 40 minutes or more.



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September 8, 2025 0 comments
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Chipotle Launches ‘Zipotle’ Drone Deliveries in Texas

by admin August 23, 2025



In brief

  • Chipotle is launching a drone delivery service with Zipline
  • The test is taking place in Rowlett, Texas, a suburb of Dallas.
  • Don’t look for flying burritos in more populated areas anytime soon.

Your triple steak, double rice, extra queso monster is now cleared for takeoff.

Well, at least in one Texas town: Chipotle just announced that it’s teaming with Zipline, an autonomous drone delivery company, to bring digital orders straight to customers’ homes in the Dallas area. The pilot program, “Zipotle,” kicks off this week with a small group of early access users before a wider rollout in the coming weeks.

Customers in Rowlett, Texas can order Chipotle through the Zipline app. Once the food is ready, employees load it into a “Zipping Point,” where one of Zipline’s electric aircraft, called Zips, snags the package. The drone then flies directly to the customer’s home, hovers about 300 feet overhead, and lowers the order with a tether, dropping it in the yard, driveway, or wherever.

Today, Chipotle announced autonomous burrito delivery. They are calling it “Zipotle”.
As someone who spent years living off burrito bowls, I can’t believe I can now get Chipotle delivered by a robot in less than 10 minutes. @ChipotleTweets pic.twitter.com/xk8apO2gfO

— Keller Rinaudo Cliffton (@Keller) August 22, 2025

The drones can carry up to 5.5 pounds per trip, with capacity increasing to 8 pounds over time. A triple steak, double rice, extra queso monster weighs in at two pounds, and tips the scales at the higher end of the fast-food chain’s burritos.

Why drones?

Chipotle says the goal is to cut delivery times while keeping food “dine-in fresh.” The company also emphasized Zipline’s zero-emissions aircraft and quiet operation.

“Zipotle is a quick and convenient source of delivery that lets guests enjoy our real food from places that are traditionally challenging to serve, including backyards and public parks,” Curt Garner, Chipotle’s president and chief strategy and technology officer, said.



Zipline CEO Keller Rinaudo Cliffton added: “You tap a button, and minutes later food magically appears—hot, fresh, and ultra-fast. What once felt like science fiction is soon going to become totally normal.”

Zipline isn’t new to high-stakes deliveries. The company first made its name flying blood and medical supplies to remote hospitals in Rwanda and now operates in four continents, completing over 1.6 million deliveries and logging 100 million commercial miles. Expanding into food and retail is its latest frontier, with partnerships aimed at redefining the “last mile” of logistics.

And crypto-loving Chipotle isn’t new to innovation. Its stock has soared 264% during the past decade, outperforming the restaurant industry in in sales and profits, per Yahoo Finance.

Not so fast

Don’t look for drone-based burrito delivery in New York City any time soon. The suburban landscape of Rowlett, with its wide yards and fewer obstacles, makes an ideal testing ground. But in dense urban areas where delivery demand is highest, drones face bigger challenges: tight airspace, tangle of power lines, and FAA restrictions on beyond-visual-line-of-sight flights.

There’s also the question of public tolerance. One or two drones dropping meals into backyards may be a novelty; hundreds buzzing over city blocks every evening could quickly feel intrusive. And from a customer’s perspective, tried-and-true scooter and car couriers are often simpler and cheaper.

But if the experiment succeeds in the suburbs, it could signal how aerial logistics slowly expand. And with any luck, you’ll also be able to get Tums via drone delivery, too.

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August 23, 2025 0 comments
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SkyDefense CobraJet C-UAS fighter drone and interceptor
Product Reviews

CobraJet Nvidia AI-powered drone killer takes out ‘overwhelming enemy drone incursions’ at up to 300mph

by admin August 18, 2025



Defense startup SkyDefense LLC just launched an autonomous combat drone designed to take out enemy drone swarms at a much lower cost than traditional weapon systems. The company calls it the CobraJet — an uncrewed aerial vehicle (basically, a drone) designed for C-UAS (counter-unmanned aircraft system) missions. The drone combines Teledyne FLIR electro-optical and infrared sensors that do not contain restricted foreign parts, and Nvidia AI chips, allowing the drone to process the information that it sees with onboard sensors.

A different kind of VRAM

The CobraJet is also equipped with its proprietary Visual Realtime Area Monitoring (VRAM) system, allowing ground commanders to monitor the drone during autonomous operations and communicate with and control it, if needed. This gives its operator the option to let it operate on its own during reconnaissance, patrol, and identification, but still have a human making decisions when required. It can also use the same technology to communicate with other CobraJet units, allowing them to act together as a single entity to protect against enemy swarms.

Aside from its AI brain, the CobraJet also boasts an internal weapons bay and external hardpoints, allowing it to carry kamikaze drones, small missiles, or even fragmentation projectiles. It can also be modified to carry precision bombs and loitering munitions, making it a multirole drone. Its external design mimics that of the U.S.’s latest air superiority and multirole fighters, the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II, with vertical take-off and landing capabilities and thrust vectoring nozzles. This means it can operate from the back of a truck and have improved maneuverability, allowing it to go toe-to-toe with small and nimble drones.


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Asymmetric warfare answered?

CobraJet is SkyDefense’s solution to the emerging threat of drone swarms on the modern battlefield. These small and cheap weapons are widely used in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with the defending Ukrainians effectively using drones to initially counter the larger Russian army. Today, both sides in the conflict use UAVs, and actions on the battlefield highlight the U.S.’s need to develop a cost-effective counter.

While existing weapons like surface-to-air missiles and air-to-air missiles can engage drones, there’s often a huge mismatch in price between these two platforms. Missiles often cost between half a million to more than $4 million — while you can buy a cheap drone for just $200, with the more sophisticated ones, like Iran’s Shahed-136, only costing $20,000. You can also send up a platoon of combat choppers to engage a drone swarm with guns, but you’re risking several multi-million-dollar weapon platforms to combat cheap suicide drones.

(Image credit: SkyDefense LLC)

“Our USA-made CobraJets can communicate and coordinate as a flight team, enabling them to operate as an AI-powered unmanned Air Force,” said SkyDefense LLC President Nick Verini. “This team approach increases the effectiveness of the squadron while also significantly reducing the costs of destroying a swarm of enemy drones.”

SkyDefense LLC hasn’t released the unit cost of the CobraJet, but it’s going to be so much more affordable than the fighter jets it looks like, and the missiles they carry. The company is offering the drone to law enforcement, Homeland Security, and the U.S. military, giving them the ability to protect against hostile drone swarms without needing to spend copious amounts of money to take down such cheap weapons.

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August 18, 2025 0 comments
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The Excalibur XLUUV has been tested
Product Reviews

UK’s Royal Navy tests 40-foot submarine drone which can be operated from ‘the other side of the world’

by admin August 17, 2025



The UK’s Royal Navy has shared an update on its progress in the development and testing of a large unmanned submarine. The new submarine drone is actually ‘extra large’ at 12m (~40ft) and is thus classed as an Extra Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV). One of the headlining abilities of this unmanned vessel, aptly dubbed Excalibur, is the ability to control it while it is “submerged on the other side of the world.”

We got some more Excalibur specs ahead of the latest round of testing, when this XLUUV was first unwrapped, back in May. In addition to its length, noted above, we know this sub is 2m (~6.5ft) wide, and displaces 19 tonnes of seawater. The project caps the three-year-long Project Cetus, and becomes the largest uncrewed underwater vessel available to the Royal Navy.

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: The Royal Navy )(Image credit: The Royal Navy )(Image credit: The Royal Navy )

Australia to the UK

In the recent sea trials the UK and Australia, as part of AUKUS Pillar II, tested the capabilities of Excalibur. The vessel, built by Plymouth (UK) based MSubs, was successfully operated in UK waters from a remote operating center in Australia.


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Thus, it is reasonable to claim the unmanned Excalibur has a long reach. According to the Royal Navy blog, the Australian controllers were “more than 10,000 miles” away.

Joining the UK and Australia, the U.S. (as part of AUKUS) has been taking part in Exercise Talisman Sabre and the trials of this XLUUV. A growing number of non AUKUS nations, such as France, Japan, and South Korea, either participated or observed in this large military exercise, in the waters near Papua New Guinea this July.

How deadly is Excalibur?

So, what is an Excalibur XLUUV capable of? The Royal Navy sources don’t seem to be very specific about what this large drone can do. However, we saw a report around the time of its unveiling which shone a little more light on the vessel’s potential capabilities.

In brief, Navy Lookout describes the Excalibur as a technology demonstrator. Its designers are trialing “long-endurance surveillance, seabed warfare, and deployment of sensors or payloads in denied or contested environment,” says the navy news and analysis site.

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August 17, 2025 0 comments
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  • Blue Protocol: Star Resonance is finally out in the west and off to a strong start on Steam, but was the MMORPG worth the wait?
  • How to Unblock OpenAI’s Sora 2 If You’re Outside the US and Canada
  • Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth finally available as physical double pack on PS5
  • The 10 Most Valuable Cards

Recent Posts

  • This 5-Star Dell Laptop Bundle (64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) Sees 72% Cut, From Above MacBook Pricing to Practically a Steal

    October 10, 2025
  • Blue Protocol: Star Resonance is finally out in the west and off to a strong start on Steam, but was the MMORPG worth the wait?

    October 10, 2025
  • How to Unblock OpenAI’s Sora 2 If You’re Outside the US and Canada

    October 10, 2025
  • Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth finally available as physical double pack on PS5

    October 10, 2025
  • The 10 Most Valuable Cards

    October 10, 2025

Newsletter

Subscribe my Newsletter for new blog posts, tips & new photos. Let's stay updated!

About me

Welcome to Laughinghyena.io, your ultimate destination for the latest in blockchain gaming and gaming products. We’re passionate about the future of gaming, where decentralized technology empowers players to own, trade, and thrive in virtual worlds.

Recent Posts

  • This 5-Star Dell Laptop Bundle (64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) Sees 72% Cut, From Above MacBook Pricing to Practically a Steal

    October 10, 2025
  • Blue Protocol: Star Resonance is finally out in the west and off to a strong start on Steam, but was the MMORPG worth the wait?

    October 10, 2025

Newsletter

Subscribe my Newsletter for new blog posts, tips & new photos. Let's stay updated!

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