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DIU Blue UAS

Acquisition Initiative · Office of the Secretary of Defense
Active · Since 2020
Program Type
Acquisition Initiative
Lead Agency
Defense Innovation Unit · Sponsor: Office of the Secretary of Defense
Operational Domains
Air
Mission Areas
Counter UAS +2
OVERVIEW

Blue UAS is a Defense Innovation Unit program that maintains a cybersecurity-vetted, NDAA Section 848-compliant list of small unmanned aerial systems available for direct purchase by Department of Defense customers. The program has two main elements: the Blue UAS Cleared List (systems that have completed DIU's cybersecurity and supply-chain vetting) and the Blue UAS Framework (a broader marketplace of trusted components). Blue UAS provides a procurement path for small UAS that satisfies NDAA Section 848 restrictions on foreign-manufactured drones without requiring the customer to run their own vetting process. Public documentation covers the vetting standards, the current list of cleared systems, and the process for manufacturers to apply for evaluation.

AT A GLANCE
Status
Active
Started
2020
Organizations
5
Technologies
4
Last reviewed 2026-07-23
PROGRAM TIMELINE
Announced
COMPLETE
Prototype
COMPLETE
Testing
CURRENT PHASE
Fielding
PLANNED
Full capability
PLANNED
OBJECTIVES
01Maintain a cybersecurity-vetted list of small UAS for DoD use
02Provide a compliant procurement path under NDAA Section 848
03Streamline the vetting process for small UAS manufacturers
04Support commercial vendors serving defense small UAS demand
PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS · 5
See all 5 in directory →
SkydioParticipant · public program documentation
Teal Drones (Red Cat Holdings)Participant · public program documentation
Freefly SystemsParticipant · public program documentation
Ascent AeroSystemsParticipant · public program documentation
BRINC DronesParticipant · public program documentation
Participation from public program documentation — never paid, never ranked. Contact Bearings deliberately omitted from the public layer.
RELATED PROGRAMS
REFERENCES
Defense Innovation Unit Blue UAS pageNDAA Section 848OSD acquisition memoranda
Last reviewed 2026-07-23
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