GoPro Pivots Toward Defense and Aerospace Markets

On April 13, 2026, GoPro, Inc. officially announced a strategic expansion beyond its traditional consumer action camera market, setting its sights on the highly regulated defense, government, and aerospace sectors. According to a company press release, the technology firm has engaged management consulting firm Oliver Wyman to identify scalable operational use cases and develop comprehensive go-to-market strategies.

This pivot comes at a critical juncture for the company. Following a challenging 2025 fiscal year, GoPro is seeking to leverage its reputation for rugged, high-quality imaging technology to capture lucrative enterprise and government contracts. The move aligns with a broader industry trend of defense agencies adopting commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies to reduce costs and accelerate deployment.

Strategic Partnership with Oliver Wyman

Identifying Dual-Use Applications

GoPro’s engagement with Oliver Wyman’s Aerospace and Defense practice aims to navigate the complex procurement processes inherent in government contracting. The press release notes that the project scope includes analyzing addressable market segments, exploring technology synergies, and ensuring compliance with stringent performance and security requirements.

Both organizations plan to work closely with defense and aerospace stakeholders to ensure that GoPro’s industry-leading video stabilization and image quality can be effectively integrated into mission-critical environments.

“Defense and aerospace customers are increasingly adopting dual-use, commercially available technologies to move faster and operate with greater cost efficiency,” said Timothy Wickham, Partner in the Aerospace and Defense practice at Oliver Wyman, in the press release. “The opportunity is significant and growing.”

From Extreme Sports to Deep Space

The Artemis II Proving Ground

The formal push into aerospace follows a high-profile demonstration of GoPro’s hardware resilience. On April 1, 2026, NASA launched the Artemis II mission, which utilized modified GoPro cameras. Industry research reports that ruggedized HERO4 Black cameras were mounted externally on the Orion spacecraft’s solar array wings, successfully withstanding microgravity, radiation, and reentry heat. Additionally, the crew utilized consumer-grade HERO11 Black and MAX1 cameras inside the cabin to document the historic voyage.

“For years, GoPro cameras have been used in numerous diverse use cases in these sectors, including recently being mounted to the solar array wings on the Artemis II Orion spacecraft,” stated GoPro founder and CEO Nicholas Woodman in the official announcement.

Woodman added that the collaboration with Oliver Wyman will help the company determine more formal and scalable opportunities while accounting for the operational and regulatory dynamics of these new markets.

Financial Headwinds and Market Opportunities

2025 Financial Performance

The diversification strategy is underpinned by recent financial headwinds. According to industry market data, GoPro experienced a 19% year-over-year revenue decline in 2025, dropping to $652 million. Camera unit sell-through fell by 20% to approximately 2 million units, resulting in a GAAP net loss of $93 million. The company’s subscriber base also saw a 7% decline, settling at 2.36 million.

The Dual-Use Market Boom

By targeting the defense and aerospace sectors, GoPro is entering a rapidly expanding market. Research data indicates that the global GovTech dual-use defense platform market was valued at $31.0 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $99.8 billion by 2034, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.2%. Furthermore, the broader global unmanned systems market, valued at $29.3 billion in 2025, is forecast to reach $67.6 billion by 2033, with North America accounting for over 44% of the market share.

AirPro News analysis

We view GoPro’s strategic pivot as a necessary evolution to insulate the company from the volatility of the consumer retail market. With the anticipated Q2 2026 launch of its next-generation AI-enabled image processor, the GP3, GoPro has an opportunity to position its upgraded technology for high-margin enterprise applications. Success in this arena will depend heavily on the company’s ability to adapt its consumer hardware to meet strict military-grade specifications and successfully navigate the bureaucratic complexities of defense procurement.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why is GoPro entering the defense and aerospace markets?

Following a 19% revenue decline in 2025, GoPro is seeking to diversify its revenue streams by offering its rugged, high-quality imaging technology to government and enterprise clients, capitalizing on the growing demand for dual-use commercial technologies.

What role did GoPro play in the Artemis II mission?

During the April 1, 2026 launch of Artemis II, NASA utilized modified GoPro HERO4 Black cameras on the exterior solar array wings of the Orion spacecraft, while astronauts used HERO11 Black and MAX1 cameras inside the cabin.

Who is Oliver Wyman?

Oliver Wyman is a global management consulting firm and a business of Marsh. GoPro has engaged their Aerospace and Defense practice to help identify operational use cases and develop go-to-market strategies for government contracts.

Sources

• GoPro, Inc. Press Release

Anduril Industries has announced a significant milestone in the development of its YFQ-44A autonomous Military-Aircraft, marking a critical step forward for the U.S. Air-Forces’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. According to a recent company press release, the defense technology firm has officially commenced experimental testing of the YFQ-44A with the Air Force’s Experimental Operations Unit (EOU) at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

The integration exercise, which took place less than two years after the initial prototype contract award, saw Air Force personnel take the reins of the aircraft’s end-to-end operations. This hands-on testing is designed to bridge the gap between raw technological capability and practical combat application, ensuring the platform can be seamlessly integrated into existing force structures by the end of the decade.

By putting the YFQ-44A directly into the hands of warfighters just six months after its first semi-autonomous flight, Anduril and the Air Force are accelerating the development of tactics, techniques, and procedures. The EOU is currently tasked with writing the playbook for how these collaborative combat aircraft will be deployed, sustained, and operated in future combat scenarios.

Shifting Control to the Warfighter

During the recent exercises at Edwards Air Force Base, the EOU assumed full control over the daily sorties of the YFQ-44A. The aircraft successfully flew from Anduril’s Southern California test site to the military installation, where Air Force operators managed everything from pre-flight and post-flight clearances to weapons loading and unloading. They also handled direct tasking of the air vehicle during taxi and flight operations.

According to the press release, Anduril intentionally front-loaded the development of the aircraft’s autonomy to simplify operations. This early focus on semi-autonomous capabilities allowed EOU maintainers, equipped with only a few days of Training, to successfully launch, recover, and turn the aircraft between missions. The high tempo of these flight operations served as a critical early test of the procedures required to sustain deployed combat operations.

“The seamless hand-off from Anduril personnel to EOU operators validates some of our earliest decisions: put the hardest part of development first, design the aircraft to be simple to operate and sustain, and deliver quickly,” the company stated in its release.

Enabling Agile Combat Employment

A core component of the Air Force’s future strategy is the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept, which relies on dispersing aircraft and personnel across multiple, small, and flexible locations to improve survivability in contested environments. To support this doctrine, the YFQ-44A was tested for its ability to operate without the heavy infrastructure typically associated with large, established air bases.

Anduril reported that its Menace-T command, control, communications, and compute (C4) system served as the primary ground element during the exercise. Using just a ruggedized laptop and two Pelican cases, EOU operators were able to upload mission plans, initiate autonomous takeoffs, and task the aircraft mid-flight from a simulated forward operating base.

This minimal logistical footprint proves that the YFQ-44A requires only a fraction of the manpower and equipment needed for traditional unmanned aerial vehicles. Automated software checks and a simplified hardware design further streamlined the training requirements for the ground crew. Following the successful completion of the exercise, the aircraft returned to Anduril’s test site, providing critical data that the Air Force will use to refine future CCA workflows.

AirPro News analysis

We note that the rapid progression of the YFQ-44A from prototype contract award to hands-on military testing underscores the intense urgency surrounding the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program. By prioritizing semi-autonomous flight capabilities early in the development cycle, we see that Anduril has effectively reduced the training burden on Air Force personnel, a crucial factor for the success of the ACE concept.

If the U.S. Air Force intends to field a combat-ready CCA fleet by the end of the decade, minimizing the logistical footprint and manpower requirements will be just as important as the aircraft’s aerodynamic performance. The successful use of the Menace-T system to control the YFQ-44A from a simulated forward operating base suggests that the defense industry is making tangible progress toward highly distributed, survivable Drones operations. As we monitor this fast-moving program, these early integration exercises appear vital for building trust between autonomous systems and the human warfighters who will rely on them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the YFQ-44A?

The YFQ-44A is an autonomous aircraft developed by Anduril Industries as part of the U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, designed to operate alongside traditional fighter jets.

What is the Experimental Operations Unit (EOU)?

The EOU is a specialized U.S. Air Force unit responsible for developing the tactics, techniques, and procedures required to integrate, deploy, and sustain new technologies like the CCA ahead of actual combat operations.

How is the YFQ-44A controlled on the ground?

During recent tests, the aircraft was controlled using Anduril’s Menace-T system, which consists of a ruggedized laptop and two Pelican cases, allowing for operations without traditional air base infrastructure.

Sources

• Anduril Industries

This article is based on an official press release from Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC).

SAIC Secures $75.2 Million NAVAIR Contract to Advance MQ-25 Refueling and Aviation Systems

Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) has been awarded a $75.2 million task order to provide critical engineering, sustainment, and integration services to the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). According to an official press release issued by the company on April 20, 2026, the award was granted under the General Services Administration (GSA) Personnel and Readiness Infrastructure Support Management (PRISM) contract vehicle.

The new contract expands upon a two-decade relationship between SAIC and the U.S. Navy. The core scope of the agreement focuses on modernizing Aircraft Armament Equipment (AAE) and Support Equipment (SE), while also driving the development of the Aerial Refueling System (ARS) for the Navy’s MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aircraft.

By leveraging predictive analytics and digital engineering tools, SAIC aims to improve equipment reliability, reduce operational downtime, and extend the lifespan of critical naval aviation systems deployed in global contingency operations.

Modernizing Naval Aviation Infrastructure

Enhancing Equipment Reliability and Sustainment

According to the company’s announcement, SAIC will provide engineering and sustainment services directly supporting key NAVAIR program offices. Specifically, the task order funds work for PMA-201, which is responsible for common Aircraft Armament Equipment, and PMA-260, which oversees the Support Equipment used to manage and troubleshoot aviation systems in real time.

The integration of digital engineering and predictive analytics is intended to ensure that these critical systems remain mission-ready. The contract covers support for several high-profile manned platforms currently in the fleet, including the F/A-18 Hornet, the P-8A Poseidon, and the SH-60 Seahawk.

Advancing the MQ-25 Stingray

The Future of Unmanned Aerial Refueling

A highly notable portion of this $75.2 million task order involves the MQ-25 Stingray, managed under NAVAIR’s PMA-268 program office. Developed by Boeing, the MQ-25 is the world’s first operational carrier-based unmanned aircraft. Its primary mission is to provide aerial refueling capabilities, a role currently filled by F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. By shifting this responsibility to an unmanned platform, the Navy can free up its fighter jets for combat missions and significantly extend the operational range of its carrier air wings.

SAIC’s role will focus heavily on the MQ-25’s Aerial Refueling System (ARS). This system includes the external pod, hose, and drogue mechanism required to transfer fuel to receiver aircraft mid-flight. Successful software management and integration of the ARS are vital for the MQ-25 to fulfill its primary fleet mission.

Barbara Supplee, SAIC Executive Vice President of the Army Navy Business Group, emphasized the strategic importance of the award in the company’s press release.

“This task order enables us to deliver best-in-class technologies that supports naval aviation at its core, AAE and SE sustainment, while driving revolutionary advancements for the MQ-25’s refueling capabilities,” Supplee stated.

AirPro News analysis

We note that this contract win is a significant indicator of SAIC’s competitive positioning within the defense sector, particularly regarding the highly sought-after GSA PRISM contract vehicle. Industry data highlights that the PRISM vehicle carries an estimated ceiling of $1.8 billion over a five-year period, serving as a strategic engine for Department of Defense operational capacity.

For SAIC, a Reston, Virginia-based contractor with approximately 23,000 employees and reported annual revenues of around $7.3 billion, securing a role in high-profile modernization programs like the MQ-25 Stingray cements its footprint in the rapidly growing sector of autonomous military technology. As the Navy continues to pivot toward unmanned systems and digital engineering, contractors that can successfully bridge legacy sustainment (like AAE and SE) with next-generation integration (like the MQ-25 ARS) are likely to see sustained revenue growth and expanded operational footprints.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the GSA PRISM contract?
The Personnel and Readiness Infrastructure Support Management (PRISM) contract is a Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC) managed by the General Services Administration. It is designed to support the Department of Defense’s operational readiness through engineering, logistics, and system support services.

What is the MQ-25 Stingray?
The MQ-25 Stingray is the world’s first operational carrier-based unmanned aircraft. It is designed primarily to provide aerial refueling to other carrier-based aircraft, extending the strike range of the carrier air wing.

Which NAVAIR program offices are supported by this SAIC contract?
The task order supports PMA-201 (Precision Strike Weapons and AAE), PMA-260 (Common Aviation Support Equipment), and PMA-268 (Unmanned Carrier Aviation / MQ-25).

Sources

• SAIC Press Release