WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – Five US drone manufacturers have received the Pentagon’s approval for military sales as part of a broader effort to enhance national security and avoid using systems manufactured in China, the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit said in a statement on Thursday.
The companies, including Altavian, Parrot, Skydio, Teal, and Vantage Robotics, will provide their inexpensive, portable, vertical take-off and landing small drones for purchase on the General Services Administration (GSA) schedule by September 2020.
The DIU’s Blue sUAS effort allows US government customers to avoid products manufactured in China in compliance with Section 848 of the National Defense Authorisation Act for Fiscal Year 2020, the statement read.
MQ-9_Reaper_in_flight_(2007) Drone – UAV
DIA Director Mike Brown stressed the importance of finding alternatives to Chinese-made drones.
The US Congress last year banned the Pentagon from using Chinese drones by including a measure, authored by Senator Chris Murphy, as part of the 2020 defence spending bill, or National Defence Authorisation Act.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
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