Red Cat Holdings has announced a Letter of Intent (LoI) to acquire FlightWave Aerospace Systems Corporation, a company specializing in Vertical Take-off adn Landing (VTOL) drones, sensors, and software solutions.
upon completion of the acquisition, Red Cat will integrate FlightWave’s edge 130, a military-grade tricopter approved under the Blue UAS programme, into its existing suite of unmanned Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems.
This acquisition aligns seamlessly with the Red Cat Futures Initiative, providing a new platform for enhancing capabilities through collaboration with industry partners.
Jeff Thompson, CEO of Red Cat, remarked, “This acquisition builds on the achievements of FlightWave and furthers our goal of delivering affordable, portable drones with versatile functionalities.Our Teal drones already enhance mission effectiveness and protect warfighters around the globe. The Edge 130 will extend the range and endurance of our offerings, adding new payloads and capabilities suitable for maritime and other environments, positioning us to meet the evolving needs of the Pentagon’s Replicator Initiative.”
Dr. Trent Lukaczyk, Co-Founder and CTO of FlightWave, stated, “Joining forces with Red Cat represents a major advancement in UAV technology integration, laying the groundwork for a extensive UAV Family of Systems that can be deployed effortlessly. The Edge 130 is designed for long-range aerial autonomy, capable of executing Beyond Visual Line of sight (BVLOS) missions for mapping, inspection, surveillance, and reconnaissance with remarkable precision.With a flight duration exceeding two hours in forward flight mode and a design that allows for rapid assembly and deployment, the Edge 130 sets a new benchmark for Group 1 military-grade VTOLs.We are eager to contribute our expertise and innovations to Red Cat, enhancing operational capabilities for defense and government sectors.”
Darren Liccardo,Co-Founder & Managing Director of Catapult Ventures and Lead Investor at FlightWave,added,<em“Catapult Ventures has been proud to support FlightWave’s vision for long-range aerial autonomy and is excited for FlightWave to collaborate with Red Cat,leveraging the strengths of both companies to create significant value for stakeholders. The addition of the Edge 130 to Red Cat’s portfolio opens up substantial opportunities for revenue growth and market expansion. We believe this strategic acquisition will deliver state-of-the-art UAV solutions to meet the changing demands of both defense and commercial sectors, propelling both companies to new heights.”
Teal Drones, a subsidiary of Red Cat, manufactures the Teal 2 system at its facility in Utah. This system is designed to support U.S. and allied military operations, and also public safety organizations and government agencies. The Teal 2 is a cost-effective, man-portable sUAS that is engineered to “Dominate the Night™,” featuring best-in-class night vision, multi-vehicle control capabilities, and a fully modular design. It holds both Blue UAS Certification and FAA Remote ID approval. Through strategic technology partnerships, the Red Cat Futures Initiative aims to considerably broaden the applications of Teal Drones across multiple domains, including air, land, and sea operations.
