The Department of the Air Force has awarded a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I contract to Redwood City, California-based Reach Power and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to develop wireless power-beaming technology for small UAV systems. Announced on August 4, 2026, the research aims to eliminate the operational burden of battery swaps by allowing drones to recharge while “perched” in fixed positions.

According to press releases from Reach Power and the university’s NIMBUS Lab, the joint effort will evaluate how perched drones can function as persistent, reconfigurable nodes for communications and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The contract is managed through AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).

Overcoming battery limitations in contested environments

Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) face strict endurance limits dictated by onboard battery capacity. The STTR project pairs Reach Power’s wireless power-beaming expertise with the NIMBUS Lab’s research capabilities in autonomous systems, communications, and field robotics to bypass these hardware constraints.

Reach Power Founder and CEO Chris Davlantes stated that persistent autonomy requires persistent power. He noted the technology could help military personnel maintain connectivity and situational awareness in contested environments where traditional infrastructure is unavailable. Dr. Brittany Duncan, director of the NIMBUS Lab, added that the project will specifically evaluate how perched drones can serve as persistent mission nodes for both communications and sensing.

Expanding military applications for wireless power

The AFWERX contract follows a series of recent military research awards for Reach Power. On May 21, 2026, the company announced a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract after winning the U.S. Army xTechSearch 9 competition, which focused on achieving perpetual flight for Army drones using power beaming systems.

On June 9, 2026, Reach Power and defense contractor Gambit secured Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund (OECIF) backing to integrate wireless power with artificial intelligence-enabled autonomy for drone swarms. The Department of the Air Force has utilized the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program since 2018 to fund such dual-use technologies, aiming to accelerate the transition of commercial innovations into military applications.

AirPro News analysis

We view the Department of the Air Force’s investment in wireless power beaming as a necessary step toward true autonomous persistence for sUAS platforms. Current battery technology restricts small drones to flight times that often fall short of extended ISR requirements, forcing operators to manage complex recovery and recharging cycles. By shifting the focus to “perched” operations, the military can leverage the low power draw of stationary sensors while utilizing wireless beaming to keep the systems active indefinitely. If successfully matured, this capability could fundamentally alter how tactical communications networks are deployed, allowing commanders to establish ad-hoc, self-sustaining sensor grids in austere environments.

Sources: University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Airbus Defence and Space successfully integrated its System Development Lab (SDL) into the German Air Force’s annual Timber Express exercise during the summer of 2026, injecting virtual allies and synthetic threats alongside physical fighter jets. The exercise demonstrated the viability of blending simulated assets with live military operations to test future combat systems.

In a press release issued on August 18, 2026, Airbus detailed the demonstration of a Live, Virtual, Constructive (LVC) framework. The integration allowed military forces to test next-generation weapons and uncrewed platforms securely and cost-effectively, avoiding the exposure of classified tactics in a purely live environment.

Advancing the Live, Virtual, Constructive framework

The Timber Express exercise, traditionally focused on tactical data exchange between various platforms, expanded in 2026 to serve as a real-world proving ground for the LVC concept. Physical Eurofighter and Tornado aircraft operated in the same airspace as simulated assets generated by the SDL.

René Birkholz, Business Developer for Future Air Power at Airbus Defence and Space, stated that the SDL acted as a constructive engine by seamlessly integrating simulated assets into the training environment. This approach addresses the growing logistical challenges of modern military training.

Birkholz noted that testing next-generation systems in the real world is becoming increasingly complex and expensive. The SDL populates the airspace with allies and adversaries at a fraction of the cost of flying numerous physical aircraft, allowing for large-scale scenario testing without the associated fuel and maintenance expenditures.

Secure data exchange and operational security

Integrating virtual and live assets requires secure data exchange across different classification levels. Cybersecurity firm infodas facilitated this data flow during the exercise using its Secure Domain Transition (SDoT) product line, ensuring that simulated inputs could safely interact with the avionics of live fighter jets.

Marion Konnerth, Head of Projects at infodas, highlighted that the smooth flow of information lays the groundwork to enrich live training with virtual elements. This secure data link is a prerequisite for any mixed-reality combat training.

Beyond cost savings, the virtual realm protects operational security (OPSEC). Military-Aircraft forces can test tactics, techniques, and procedures without exposing them to adversaries who might be observing live environments. By keeping sensitive tactical maneuvers confined to the digital portion of the LVC framework, the German Air-Forces can train for high-end conflicts without revealing its capabilities.

Preparing for next-generation uncrewed platforms

The 2026 exercise simulated uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft, which are projected to reach operational readiness by the end of this decade. Testing these systems now ensures that the integration of manned and unmanned assets will be mature by the time the physical hardware is deployed.

Airbus plans to use the SDL to define the core of new systems through continuous validation. The company intends to use the virtual environment to refine the software and tactical behavior of uncrewed platforms long before they enter serial production.

“It is about creating a feedback loop throughout the development process, where we constantly validate and adapt the capabilities of the platform until it is fit for purpose,” Birkholz said. “With the SDL at the core of our joint simulation, integration, testing and training environment, we can be confident that tomorrow’s systems will not only be ready to fly, they will also be ready to win.”

AirPro News analysis

The successful integration of the SDL at Timber Express 2026 highlights a critical transition in European defense procurement and training. As air forces move toward manned-unmanned teaming and collaborative combat aircraft, the financial and logistical burden of purely live testing becomes unsustainable. By proving the LVC framework in a live tactical data link exercise, Airbus and the German Air Force are establishing the digital infrastructure necessary to field next-generation systems by the end of the decade. We view the emphasis on OPSEC as equally significant. The ability to hide advanced tactics from electronic surveillance during peacetime training will be a defining requirement for future multi-domain operations, making secure LVC environments a strategic necessity rather than just a cost-saving measure.

Sources: Airbus

Tiberius Aerospace has advanced its Invictus long-range precision strike system into formal engineering test and evaluation, a milestone aimed at rapidly replenishing depleted Western missile stockpiles.

In a press release issued on August 20, 2026, the company confirmed that direct-connect testing of the Invictus ramjet engine is currently underway at Purdue University’s Zucrow Laboratories in West Lafayette, Indiana. The advancement follows the successful live-fire ramjet ignition of the company’s Sceptre munition in the United States, which accelerated the transition of the Invictus program from exploratory laboratory development into formal testing.

Strategic context and stockpile pressures

The transition of the Invictus program addresses an urgent strategic shortfall for the United States and NATO allies. During a recent five-month conflict with Iran, the U.S. Army depleted virtually all of its inventory of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles.

Western missile inventories across Europe are facing similar pressures. Governments and defense Manufacturers are seeking solutions to accelerate production and rebuild stockpiles faster than traditional defense manufacturing processes currently allow.

Technical specifications and development

The Invictus-200 variant is designed to deliver a 10 to 15 kilogram payload at speeds reaching Mach 3. The system features a maximum precision strike range of 200 kilometers and a targeting precision of a 5.5-meter Circular Error Probable (CEP), depending on the specific guidance configuration utilized.

Tiberius Aerospace attributes the rapid development of the system to its artificial intelligence-powered platform, GRAIL. The company launched its first ramjet munition, Sceptre, in May 2025, utilizing GRAIL to streamline the engineering process.

“Invictus and Sceptre have been designed from first principles to deliver cost-effective lethality from the outset, using our AI powered platform GRAIL to maximize the combat effect delivered for every dollar spent by simplifying the weapon, engineering it for high-volume production and building in an open architecture that can evolve without replacing the entire system,” said Chad Steelberg, Founder and CEO of Tiberius Aerospace.

Industrial base and production strategy

The company is applying commercial technology sector methodologies to defense procurement. Steelberg noted that the GRAIL platform enables a Silicon Valley approach to product development by directly connecting program requirements with domestic and allied suppliers.

This strategy is intended to support a broader and more resilient industrial base capable of producing components and systems at scale. The goal is to field a weapon designed for continuous adaptation throughout its service life, combining multi-domain flexibility with scalable production.

AirPro News analysis

We note that the rapid progression of the Invictus program from exploratory laboratory development to formal engineering Test-Flights and Evaluation (T&E) highlights a broader industry shift. Traditional defense primes often require years to field new precision strike capabilities. By leveraging AI-driven design and focusing on high-volume, cost-effective production, non-traditional entrants like Tiberius Aerospace are positioning themselves to fill critical gaps in the munitions supply chain exposed by recent high-intensity conflicts.

Sources: Tiberius Aerospace