The Defense Innovation Unit’s (DIU) Blue UAS Checklist is a crucial certification for drone manufacturers. The checklist serves as a “safe harbor” indicating its suitability for use in Department of Defense (DoD) operations, thereby simplifying the process for drone manufacturers to market their products to government agencies. The General Services Administration (GSA) has designated the Blue UAS as a standard, indicating that drones not listed on this checklist, regardless of whether they meet National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requirements, will need to undergo additional measures before being eligible for procurement by government customers.
Updating the Blue sUAS Record
Since its inception, the Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) has worked tirelessly to enhance its capacity for assessing novel aircraft and accelerating the process; it continuously refines the system based on feedback from the battlefield. The checklist has undergone significant expansion over the past year to include additional platforms. The Blue S/UAS program has been enhanced to incorporate a modular framework, enabling the evaluation and certification of individual components and software for use in Department of Defense applications.
The division plans to introduce an evaluation process for its checklist, which may phase out outdated formats. During a recent interview, Trent Emeneker, supervisor of the DIU’s Blue sUAS program, revealed that industry insiders will provide valuable insights on what works effectively and what doesn’t for clients within their sphere of expertise. These suggestions propose a bold overhaul of the existing checklist.
The DIU website now features standards for maintaining a presence on the checklist, as well as guidelines for removal from the checklist when necessary.
These standards include steady improvement and growth of the platform, its capabilities, and components, in coordination with the Blue UAS CCB.
According to Emeneker’s update to Nationwide Protection, certain platforms have been listed on their checklist for approximately four years, with only a select few still pending completion. “In reality, some players have failed to adapt and maintain their competitive edge in the market.”
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Miriam McNabb serves as Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, an expert in the burgeoning drone industry and its regulatory landscape, with a keen interest in observing the sector’s growth. With a prolific output of more than 3,000 articles focused on the industrial drone industry, Miriam has established herself as a renowned expert and prominent figure globally, recognized for her authoritative voice within the sector. With a degree from the University of Chicago, Miriam boasts over two decades of experience in high-tech sales and marketing, specializing in emerging technologies.
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