Simera Sense France has unveiled the SSA (space situational awareness) Scape100 Full Motion camera, capable of detecting objects as small as 10 centimeters from distances of up to 10 kilometers in orbit. Built around a 95mm-aperture optical design with a 360-degree steerable mechanism, the system supports detection down to 10–12.5 visual magnitude, enabling it to track faint objects under low-visibility conditions.

The camera is engineered for reduced size, weight, and power, making it integrable into a wide range of satellites, either as a standalone payload or as part of a coordinated constellation. Simera Sense France's managing director said the system addresses a gap where operational space-based SSA solutions are still absent across Europe.

Production and assembly will take place in Toulouse, with the flight model expected in mid-2027 ahead of an in-orbit demonstration. The system is specifically designed for scenarios involving uncooperative or potentially hostile spacecraft during close-approach satellite flybys, a growing concern as orbital congestion and competition increase.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) completed the first flight of the XRQ-73 in April at Edwards Air Force Base, California, under its Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration (SHEPARD) program, with Northrop Grumman as prime contractor and subsidiary Scaled Composites contributing to development.

The XRQ-73 is a Group 3 unmanned aerial system that converts conventional fuel into electric power during flight, delivering both quieter acoustic signatures and improved fuel efficiency. The system is a derivative of the earlier XRQ-72, developed under the Great Horned Owl (GHO) program run by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) in partnership with the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), which focused on dramatically reducing the acoustic signatures of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) drones without sacrificing endurance or payload.

DARPA says the XRQ-73 is larger than its predecessor but leverages the hybrid-electric architecture developed for GHO, maintaining operationally representative fuel fractions and mission systems while staying within Group 3 weight limits. The program is designed to expand quiet, efficient propulsion options for ISR platforms operating in contested environments where acoustic detectability can compromise missions before visual contact is made.

Florida-based Laser Photonics and Fonon Technologies have advanced their Laser Shield Anti-Drone System (LSAD) to the prototype stage after completing initial testing. The system uses a high-density laser beam to neutralize hostile drones within approximately 10 seconds at ranges of up to 1 kilometer, and can operate with or without a human operator.

LSAD is equipped with high-performance optics and an integrated tracking system capable of monitoring threats up to 2 kilometers away. Once a target is confirmed, the system can disable drones by blinding onboard cameras, degrading guidance systems, or fully neutralizing the platform; the companies are also exploring integration with existing military equipment to satisfy U.S. government calls for rapidly deployable counter-drone solutions.

The system will be manufactured in Florida using globally sourced components, with both companies sharing facilities. Laser Photonics CEO Wayne Tupuola described the development as a "deliberate, disciplined approach" to bringing a cost-effective directed-energy capability to a market where the threat from small, low-cost drones is growing in both scale and complexity.

Kyiv-based Skyeton has upgraded its Raybird intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) drone with a new capability to detect approaching interceptor drones in real time and alert operators when evasive action is available. The company described the update as a multi-layered survivability improvement designed to reduce platform loss during extended missions over contested airspace.

The anti-interceptor feature is being rolled out across all operational systems and integrated into serial production units, following an extensive study and field-testing process described by Skyeton. CEO Roman Knyazhenko said the company carefully analyzed comparable solutions across the industry before selecting the approach it believes delivers the most effective result against interceptor drone threats.

The Raybird operates at altitudes up to 5,500 meters, with an endurance of up to 28 hours and a range exceeding 2,500 kilometers, supporting payloads such as synthetic aperture radars and radio-frequency locators. The update follows an earlier hydrogen motor integration and reflects the escalating pressure on long-endurance ISR platforms to evolve faster than the interceptor systems arrayed against them.

National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Director Lt. Gen. Michelle Bredenkamp told the GEOINT 2026 symposium in Denver that the agency is finalizing an AI framework described as a "blueprint for becoming an AI-first organization," aligned to the DoD's AI strategy and covering everything from operationalizing geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) across the intelligence cycle to modernizing acquisitions and maturing AI governance.

Bredenkamp also announced the establishment of a new Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO) led by Chris Parrett, with a direct mandate to use the full range of acquisition authorities, including Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs), to speed integration of commercial technology. She said the RCO will take more acquisition risk to reduce operational risk and called on the industry to bring forward disruptive solutions.

Bredenkamp emphasized that the NGA does not intend to replace human analysts with machines, framing the AI push as human-machine teaming where AI handles volume, speed, and pattern recognition while human judgment remains authoritative on decisions that matter most. The agency plans to hold an industry day in July with both classified and unclassified forums focused on advanced analytics.

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