unmanned aerial vehicles

Japan's Defense Ministry is drawing up a new program to back startups developing unmanned aerial vehicles and related defense products. The initiative would help young companies enter the defense market, where barriers have traditionally been high. It reflects Tokyo's broader push to grow its defense industry base and expand domestic drone capabilities amid regional security concerns.

Reports say an AKINCI unmanned combat aerial vehicle, produced by Turkey's Baykar, shot down another drone in an aerial clash over Sudan. The incident marks a rare reported dogfight between UAVs and is drawing attention to the growing use of armed drones in Sudan's ongoing conflict, as well as Turkey's expanding defense footprint abroad.

Moldovan border guards discovered fragments of an unmanned aerial vehicle in the Stefan Voda district on the evening of Saturday, September 26. The find adds to a series of drone wreckage incidents reported in Moldova since Russia's full-scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, raising concerns about airspace violations and spillover from the war.

Japan's Defense Ministry has announced it will support startups working on unmanned aerial vehicle development, according to the Japan Times. The move aligns with Tokyo's broader push to strengthen its defense industrial base and tap private-sector innovation for military technology. Details on funding amounts and selected companies have not yet been reported.