Freefly Drones – DIU Blue List and transition to AUVSI Green List

The Defense Innovation Unit’s (DIU) Blue UAS List constitutes a curated compendium of Department of Defense (DoD)-approved unmanned aerial systems (UAS), designed to address the dynamic and evolving mission exigencies of DoD constituents. These UAS platforms adhere stringently to a constellation of legislative mandates, including Section 848 of the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Section 817 of the FY23 NDAA, and the 2024 American Security Drone Act, while also being rigorously validated for cybersecurity compliance.

The Alta X, having undergone a thorough vetting process, was officially incorporated into the DIU Blue List 2.0 on December 9, 2023. Subsequently, it secured multiple extensions, maintaining its status on the Blue List until February 28, 2025. DIU granted Alta X a one-year Exception to Policy (ETP) extension, thereby enabling existing operators to sustain compliance through February 28, 2026.

DIU has committed to an annual Blue List Refresh initiative, a forward-looking mechanism intended to recalibrate the roster of approved UAS platforms in alignment with the DoD’s shifting operational imperatives. In the most recent iteration of this refresh, a pronounced emphasis was placed on the prioritization of First-Person View (FPV) drones. Despite the Alta X retaining its technical specifications and security profile unchanged during this period, DIU’s finite budgetary resources constrain its capacity to sustain an expansive array of actively monitored aircraft. The persistent demands of cybersecurity oversight and other requisite compliance measures engender ongoing costs that extend beyond initial inclusion on the Blue List, thereby limiting the number of UAS that can be feasibly maintained.

Concurrently, the Astro platform distinguished itself by securing reaffirmation during the 2025 Blue Refresh, ensuring its continued presence on the DIU Blue List for a minimum of an additional year.

In response to the Alta X’s delisting from the DIU Blue List, it has been transitioned to the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) Green List. This designation not only encompasses all the rigorous prerequisites of the Blue List but also imposes supplementary stipulations pertaining to cybersecurity, networked operations, and business practices, thereby upholding and enhancing Alta X’s operational legitimacy and security posture.