The Deep End #83
REGENT joins defense market, Washington releases major AI roadmap
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REGENT Craft launches REGENT Defense, bringing American-made seagliders into the maritime defense arena
REGENT Craft, the developer and manufacturer of Seaglider vessels and a trusted partner of the U.S. Marine Corps, announced the creation of “REGENT Defense” and unveiled a new product line of the innovative maritime craft designed for military applications. Complementing REGENT’s $10 billion commercial backlog, the company will manufacture REGENT Defense Seaglider vessels at its headquarters in Rhode Island to support the U.S. and its allies in countering the growing maritime national threat posed by China in the Indo-Pacific region.
Regulatory Radar
What You Need to Know: Trump Administration Releases Sweeping AI Action Plan
The AI Action Plan makes clear that deregulation, private-sector partnerships, and “winning the AI race” will guide the administration's AI policy, signaling a significant shift toward market-driven innovation over government oversight. The plan’s approach prioritizes accelerating AI deployment across all sectors of the economy.
Tech Terrain
Future Mobility
Electric air taxi company Joby to acquire Blade Air’s passenger business
Trend to watch: The acquisition includes all of Blade’s passenger business, including U.S. and European operations. Under the agreement, Joby will pay Blade up to $125 million.
Defense Tech
Navy demonstrates multi-day solar UAS flight
Why this matters: In partnership with with Skydweller Aero the nonstop test flight lasted 73-hours and validated Skydweller’s technology and the possibility of replacing combustion-powered, manned aircraft.
Rune Technologies closed a $24M Series A funding round for its military logistics software
Space
Space Force bets on commercial entrants in $4B satcom contest
Trend to watch: Space Force awarded five more contracts for jam-resistant tactical comms satellites to Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Viasat, Intelsat, and newcomer Astranis.
EarthDaily nets $60 million loan to ramp up constellation expansion
Advanced Computing
Next X-37B mission to carry quantum sensor, laser link experiments
Why this matters: Quantum sensors hold promise to serve as the core for new systems for positioning, timing and navigation that could provide an alternative, or even replace, today's Global Positioning System satellites.
Energy
We just broke ground on America’s first next-gen nuclear facility
Trend to watch: Bill Gates and his energy company are starting construction at their Wyoming site for a next-generation nuclear power plant.