Redwire Corporation (NYSE:RDW) said its subsidiary, Edge Autonomy, has partnered with Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:RCAT) to strengthen U.S. Army drone operations. The companies will combine Red Cat’s Teal Drones Black Widow quadcopter with Edge Autonomy’s Stalker vertical takeoff and landing aircraft to enhance battlefield surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
The collaboration aims to extend the Army’s intelligence and situational awareness by using the Stalker as a carrier and communications hub for the smaller Black Widow drone. The system enables midair deployment, expanding range and flexibility for multi-echelon missions.
Edge Autonomy’s Stalker employs a modular, open-systems approach to integrate seamlessly with other platforms and payloads. The aircraft supports platoon to brigade-level operations and can carry compact drones or sensors for long-endurance missions.
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“Our Stalker is combat proven with exceptional long-range reconnaissance capabilities,” said Steve Adlich, president of Edge Autonomy. “When paired with the well-recognized short-range reconnaissance of Teal’s Black Widow, we provide frontline warfighters with greater mission reach and reliable data for efficient and effective decision making.”
The Black Widow, part of Red Cat’s Family of Systems, is an NDAA-compliant drone designed for real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. The U.S. Army selected it for the SRR Tranche 2 program in November 2024 to support rapid, secure data collection in complex field conditions.
Jeff Thompson, CEO of Red Cat, said the integration of short- and long-range reconnaissance systems represents a “major step forward” in tactical drone deployment. The collaboration answers the Army’s requirements for rapidly deployable situational awareness tools in the most contested areas, he said.
Edge Autonomy, a wholly owned subsidiary of Redwire, provides uncrewed aerial systems, advanced optics, and energy technologies to defense, federal, and allied customers in nearly 80 countries.
Investor sentiment toward Red Cat has strengthened following a bullish analyst call that pointed to a coming “drone supercycle” expected to boost defense and commercial demand.
Price Action: RDW shares were trading higher by 2.26% to $9.265 at last check Tuesday. RCAT was down 7.31%.
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Photo by T. Schneider via Shutterstock
