Drone

• European nations are deploying diverse technologies to protect aging infrastructure from record-breaking heatwaves that are causing railways to buckle and roads to melt. • Mitigation strategies include using drones for track inspections, AI-powered sensors for monitoring, and applying white paint to reflect sunlight. • In Norway, workers at Oslo airport doused the tarmac with water on Wednesday as temperatures reached 30°C (86°F), which is 10°C above the seasonal norm.

• Munich-based defense technology startup Helsing announced a new funding round on Monday, resulting in a company valuation of $18 billion. • The investment highlights a strategic shift in European defense as drones and autonomous systems transition from niche tools to core components of modern warfare. • This surge in funding cements Helsing's position as one of the most well-funded defense tech firms in Europe, reflecting a broader regional bet on AI-driven military capabilities.

• European drone warfare reached a critical inflection point in July 2026 with $49 billion in total commitments, including $40 billion via NATO's new Drone Edge Initiative. • Key investments include Germany funding 50,000 AI-guided FPVs for Ukraine and Helsing raising $1.8 billion, supported by Auterion Skynode S chips that increase drone hit rates from 20% to 90%. • Eleven allied nations, including Canada, Germany, and Sweden, signed letters of intent to acquire up to five Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton reconnaissance drones to augment the RQ-4D Phoenix fleet.

Vital maritime corridor closes after 90 vessels – including shadow fleet oil tankers – are attacked in under a weekRussia has been forced to suspend shipping in the Sea of Azov after 90 vessels were targeted by Ukrainian drones in less than a week.Ukraine’s drone forces chief, Robert Brovdi, said on Sunday that his units had hit 10 tankers and four ferries overnight, as well as a major oil refinery in the city of Syzran. There were multiple strikes on electricity sub-stations in occupied Crimea, he added. Continue reading...

Increase in sightings may not reflect increase in sharks with little evidence that threat to swimmers has risenExperts say that despite recent increased investment in drones to monitor for sharks in states like New York, the machines have limited usefulness as a public safety tool and there does not appear to be evidence that the threat to swimmers from sharks has increased.There have, however, been more reports of sharks around local beaches. Continue reading...

• Russia launched a new wave of missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, resulting in civilian casualties and further strikes on non-military areas. • The barrage occurred as NATO leaders met in Ankara for a critical summit to discuss European security and the ongoing conflict. • Ukrainian officials and international observers argue these repeated attacks on civilians violate international humanitarian law, contradicting Russian claims.

• Virescent Ventures completed its seventh investment from Fund II, which has secured over $155 million in commitments from investors including Westpac, QIC, and Breakthrough Victoria. • New York-based Pie, an AI-powered growth platform designed for small businesses, raised a $19.5 million Series A led by Lightspeed Venture Partners. • Pie's total funding now stands at $23.7 million, with participation from Capital One Ventures, SciFi VC, F-Prime, and Commerce Ventures.

Kyiv offers expertise on how to develop radar systems and ground stations as it turns from buyer to security providerUkraine hopes to sign major defence deals with at least seven Nato countries by the end of the year, according to a top official, highlighting a new aspect of Kyiv’s foreign policy intended to show it can be a provider as well as a recipient of military hardware and expertise.Kyiv has signed “drone deals” with six countries in recent months. Three are Middle Eastern states, who became eager for Ukrainian support after being targeted with Iranian long-range Shahed drones after the US-Israeli war on Iran began in spring. These are the same weapons that have targeted Ukrainian cities relentlessly over the past four years. Azerbaijan has also signed an agreement with Kyiv, as well as the Nato members Latvia and Lithuania. Continue reading...

At least seven killed in the Ukraine capital in the second major assault on the city and its surrounds in less than a weekRussia struck Ukraine’s Kyiv region with ballistic missiles on Monday, killing at least eight people and wounding dozens, authorities said, on the eve of a Nato summit in Turkey.Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said rescue crews were pulling residents from buildings ⁠shattered by the overnight barrage. Continue reading...

Agency says drones had been caught across all 11 US host cities in restricted airspace since tournament beganMore than 600 drones flying over restricted World Cup airspace in the US have been seized since the tournament began in June, the FBI said on Saturday – including 99 captured flying in Miami, 77 in Atlanta and 32 in Kansas City.In a statement on X, the law enforcement agency said that drones had been caught across all 11 US host cities by FBI and the federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Continue reading...

St Petersburg governor reports no victims after ‘large-scale’ overnight attack that also hit Baltic port of VysotskUkraine launched a big overnight drone attack on St Petersburg and the surrounding area, hitting the city’s oil terminal and port infrastructure in the wider region.The St Petersburg governor, Alexander Beglov, said the city had been subjected to a “large-scale” drone attack that had hit its oil terminal. He said there were no casualties and the aftermath of the attack had been dealt with. Continue reading...

El Obeid becomes key battleground in war between Sudan’s armed forces and their paramilitary enemies, the RSFFatima is losing count of the number of drone attacks on the besieged city of El Obeid in Sudan, but says the attacks this past weekend were the most violent so far.The drones hit schools and fuel stations, killing more than 20 people, including students, she says. “Over the past few months, seeing 40 or 45 drones is the norm. You can literally count them,” said the aid volunteer, whose name has been changed for fear of retribution. Continue reading...

• Munich-based drone manufacturer Quantum has raised $1.2 billion as investor interest in the defense sector surges. • The company, which reported revenues of approximately 300 million euros last year, is expanding its portfolio from spy drones to autonomous land and sea systems. • Co-founder and co-CEO Florian Seibel indicated that this capital could facilitate the acquisition of Stark Defence, a 2024 startup specializing in attack drones.

• Russia allegedly conducted a drone campaign across Europe between 2024 and 2026, utilizing "shadow ships" to launch aircraft that monitored military sites and tested NATO air defenses. • A report detailed 144 suspected drone sightings in nations including Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the U.K., and Denmark. • The activity peaked in late 2025, causing temporary closures of airports in Germany, Spain, and Denmark, with Danish PM Mette Frederiksen calling it the most serious attack on the country's critical infrastructure.

• Researchers report that Russia conducted a concerted drone surveillance campaign targeting nuclear sites in the UK, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands over an 18-month period. • The operation involved 144 separate incidents, including flights over RAF Lakenheath, with drones launched from "shadow fleet" vessels to avoid detection. • The findings highlight that Moscow acted with "substantial impunity," exposing critical security vulnerabilities at strategic European military and nuclear installations.

Researchers say Moscow acted with ‘substantial impunity’ in 144 incidents, including over RAF LakenheathThe Kremlin orchestrated a concerted surveillance campaign using drones launched from shadow fleet vessels over an 18-month period which targeted nuclear sites in the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, researchers have said.Analysis by the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) of 144 incidents in more than a dozen countries beginning in late 2024 concluded Russian intelligence had operated with “substantial impunity”, leaving authorities across Europe flat-footed and confused. Continue reading...

• Afghanistan has reportedly fired drones into Pakistan, escalating a recurring cycle of cross-border strikes between the two nations. • Research analyst Ricardo Alvarez notes that this pattern of instability and mutual aggression has solidified over several years, leaving diplomatic ties in tatters. • The situation highlights the ongoing security volatility in South and Central Asia, where armed rebellions and border disputes continue to destabilize the region.

Multiple explosions heard in Ukraine capital with a hotel and several residential buildings on fireRussian forces have attacked the Ukrainian capital ⁠Kyiv with drones and missiles, hitting residential ⁠buildings, ⁠triggering ​a fire in a hotel on a central boulevard and injuring at least five.Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko, ⁠writing on Telegram, said the hotel roof was on fire. Pictures posted online ⁠showed a fire burning out of control at the ​top of the ‌building on ‌the central Shevchenko Boulevard. Continue reading...

Dan Jarvis persuaded Rachel Reeves to reduce £18bn funding gap that led to predecessor resigningThe new defence secretary has secured an extra £1.5bn to the UK’s long-delayed defence investment plan, with the bulk of that to be spent on drones to deter Russia and Iran.Rows about closing an £18bn funding gap had led to the resignation of John Healey and raised questions about Britain’s commitments to Nato – though on Monday the head of the alliance told the Guardian he believed the UK would honour its commitments. Continue reading...

• Qatar reported that one of its citizens was killed by shrapnel resulting from "military operations" following an Iranian drone attack on June 28. • The IDF demolished a major Hezbollah tunnel, an action previously stalled by U.S. pressure, while citing a security annex that allows full freedom of action in the security zone. • Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar met with South Sudanese counterpart James Pitia Morgan in Jerusalem to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation across multiple fields.

Premier Chris Minns says he wants to restore confidence to beachgoers after series of shark sightings and attacksFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastShark-spotting drones will fly from dawn to dusk throughout the year at 70 beaches in New South Wales under an expanded monitoring program, the state government says.The NSW premier, Chris Minns, said the $34m initiative would restore confidence to beachgoers after a series of shark sightings and attacks. They include one by a great white shark on Sydney mother Leah Stewart, who is no longer in a critical condition following the attack at Coogee beach earlier this month. Continue reading...

Premier Chris Minns says technology will be largest expansion of aerial shark surveillance in the world. Follow the day’s updates liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastDrone technology won’t be ‘foolproof’ but should ‘mitigate the risk’, NSW premier says The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, says the state government’s expansion of shark surveillance came in response to a reduction in the number of people visiting beaches amid a spate of shark attacks.We now are in a situation where … we seen a reduction in the number of people who are enjoying our beaches and enjoying the Pacific Ocean, even in the winter period. So we know we want to take action … It’s not going to be foolproof. We can’t promise it won’t lead to further shark attacks in the future, but we think it’ll mitigate the risk.They’re a protected species. They’ve been a protected species since the 90s, and I’m not convinced it would work. I mean, the distances these sharks travel are massive. It’s not like we can knock a few off and send a message to the rest of them …I think it’s a different situation for bull sharks. Generally they’re in our estuaries … We’re looking particularly at an audit of the number of sharks in Sydney Harbour. We want to keep people safe, particularly when there’s a higher number of people in the water. Continue reading...

No immediate reports of damage after Bahrain hit by ‘number of drones’ as ship in strait of Hormuz also targetedBahrain said it was attacked by Iran with a wave of drones on Saturday, apparently in response to overnight US strikes on Iran. A ship in the strait of Hormuz was also attacked.Bahrain’s foreign ministry said a “number of drones” were launched at the country, though there were no immediate reports of damage. It condemned the attack and described it as a “flagrant threat to the security of citizens and residents”. Continue reading...

• Bahrain has accused Iran of launching a drone attack targeting the island kingdom, escalating tensions in the region. • The United States and Iran have exchanged military strikes following U.S. accusations that Tehran attacked a cargo ship, threatening a fragile ceasefire. • To stabilize the region, the U.S. State Department is facilitating a new “Military Coordination Group for Lebanon” to implement a strategic framework.

Fire and Rescue NSW uses thermal imaging and a mobile phone red light to quickly locate men who veered off walking track near JindabyneGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastTwo hikers who veered off a walking track in Kosciuszko national park have been found within five hours using a drone powered by artificial intelligence, a first-of-its-kind mission, Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has said.The two men, aged in their 20s, were reported missing at 7pm on Tuesday evening after they failed to return to a rendezvous point on time. Continue reading...

US president calls it ‘foolish violation’ of ceasefire agreement after drone damaged ship’s upper deckUS politics live – latest updatesDonald Trump on Friday blamed Iran for carrying out a drone strike on a cargo ship in the strait of Hormuz, calling it a “foolish violation” of the ceasefire agreement with the US.One drone damaged the upper deck of the ship but the ship was able to proceed, the US president said. The US shot down three other drones aimed at the ship, he said. Continue reading...

• Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has condemned the current BNP-led government and the previous interim administration under Muhammad Yunus for suppressing democracy. • Hasina specifically challenged the legitimacy of the February 12 election, asserting that it was invalid because her party, the Awami League, was barred from participating. • She urged party members to remain united and stated that the struggle to restore democratic processes will be pursued through both legal and political channels.

All branches of the military will be taught how to use technology that has become a ‘game changer on the battlefield’, says defence ministerAll of South Korea’s military forces will be trained as drone operators in a sweeping overhaul of its warfare strategy, the defence minister has said.“All soldiers should be able to use drones like a second personal firearm,” Ahn Gyu-back, who heads the defence ministry in Seoul, said on Friday. Continue reading...