Esri Advances Secure Drone Solutions with Blue UAS Cleared, Federally Approved Drone

February 20, 2025 at 08:00 AM EST

Geospatial Drone Flight Planning and Data Capture Application Now Supports Freefly’s “Astro Max”

In the fast-paced drone industry, compliance with federal regulations and the use of advanced technology are essential for staying competitive. Esri, the global leader in location intelligence, is now supporting the Astro Max drone, the first Blue UAS cleared and NDAA-compliant drone to integrate with Esri’s ArcGIS Flight application.

Developed by Esri partner Freefly Systems, the Astro Max is an American-made drone that meets the rigorous security and performance standards of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the Defense Innovation Unit’s (DIU) Blue UAS initiative. This compact and powerful industrial drone enhances the capabilities of government and enterprise users with ArcGIS Flight.

"With this integration, we're not only meeting federal customers’ demands but also staying ahead of potential federal regulations," said Brent Pierce, lead product engineer for ArcGIS Flight. “This proactive step reinforces Esri’s commitment to our users' success and solidifies our leadership in the drone mapping industry by providing them with a seamless and secure solution for drone operations."

Within the ArcGIS Flight mobile app, UAS pilots, especially those flying missions for the U.S. government, can fly drones autonomously, capture high-quality drone imagery, and enhance situational awareness. They can also easily share flight information with key stakeholders and collect geospatial video, which includes location and orientation data. This streamlined approach boosts operational efficiency and ensures that government customers have a secure and integrated solution for their critical missions.

Esri's support for the Astro Max is a major milestone in the drone industry. It provides government agencies and organizations with a trusted, secure, and high-performance drone solution that meets the highest standards of security and compliance.

To learn more about ArcGIS Flight, visit esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/flight/imagery/introducing-arcgis-flight/.

About Esri

Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, helps customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969 in Redlands, California, USA, Esri software is deployed in hundreds of thousands of organizations globally, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, nonprofit institutions, and universities. Esri has regional offices, international distributors, and partners providing local support in over 100 countries on six continents. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial technology and analytics, Esri engineers the most innovative solutions that leverage a geographic approach to solving some of the world’s most complex problems by placing them in the crucial context of location. Visit us at esri.com.

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