Trusted Hardware for Trusted Autonomy

As AI-powered drones move into critical infrastructure, public safety, defense-adjacent missions, and large-scale automated operations, security and supply-chain integrity have become mission-critical.
The core requirement enabling this future is NDAA compliance, the standard that ensures drones are built with trusted, U.S.-approved hardware.

While frameworks like Blue UAS and Green UAS support broader trust and certification, NDAA compliance is the baseline for safe, secure, and deployable autonomous systems.
Astral’s architecture is designed around this foundation, enabling what we believe is the only truly autonomous NDAA-compliant drone platform being built today.

1. What NDAA Compliance Means

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) restricts the use of certain foreign-sourced components in drones intended for U.S. government or sensitive-infrastructure operations.
To be NDAA compliant, a drone must avoid restricted manufacturers in critical systems such as:

  • Flight controllers
  • Radio and communication modules
  • GPS/GNSS
  • Cameras and imaging hardware
  • Data-transmission systems
  • Processors and chipsets

This ensures end-to-end security, traceability, and supply-chain trust, the prerequisites for deploying AI-driven autonomy at scale.

Astral’s NDAA-Native Design Philosophy

Astral sources and integrates:

  • NDAA-approved motors, radios, controllers, and sensors
  • Fully auditable supply chains
  • U.S.-aligned manufacturing and assembly

This makes the upcoming Astral Mothership platform fully NDAA compliant, the first autonomous system built from the ground up around trusted hardware.

2. Blue UAS: DoD-Level Certification for Trusted Systems

The Blue UAS program, run by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), maintains a selection of pre-approved drones for Department of Defense use.

Where NDAA focuses on safe hardware sourcing, Blue UAS adds operational and cybersecurity vetting, including:

  • Cyber-hardening
  • Data-integrity assurance
  • Manufacturer reliability
  • Operational testing
  • System robustness

Blue UAS is significant in the defense ecosystem, but it is not synonymous with NDAA compliance, and its certification pathways are separate.

3. Green UAS: Trust Framework for State, Commercial & Enterprise Autonomy

AUVSI’s Green UAS program extends trusted-drone standards to:

  • State and local agencies
  • Utilities and critical infrastructure
  • Enterprise commercial operators

Its focus includes:

  • Cybersecurity review
  • Supply-chain security
  • Documentation transparency

Like Blue UAS, Green UAS is optional, while NDAA remains the primary requirement for trusted U.S. hardware.

4. Why NDAA Matters Most in an AI-Driven Era

For operators deploying advanced autonomy, AI perception models, and automated mission workflows, NDAA sits at the foundation because it provides:

  • Assured hardware integrity
  • Protection against foreign data pathways
  • Alignment with U.S. procurement and security rules
  • A stable, future-proof supply chain

AI autonomy is only trustworthy when the underlying hardware is trusted.
NDAA provides that trust.

5. Astral’s Commitment: Autonomous Systems Built on Trusted U.S. Hardware

Astral’s mission is to deliver the next generation of AI-powered autonomous flight, engineered from day one for security and reliability.

Trusted Hardware Architecture

  • NDAA-approved components only
  • Redundant flight systems
  • Secure communication pathways
  • Hardened compute and sensor interfaces

Secure AI + Autonomy Stack

  • Encrypted C2 and data links
  • Zero-trust networking principles
  • Cryptographically signed firmware
  • Autonomous behaviors validated through simulation and field testing

U.S.-Aligned Fleet Management

  • Domestic data hosting
  • Encrypted mission logs and telemetry
  • Role-based access control
  • Operator-level privacy assurance

Transparent, Auditable Supply Chain

  • Full documentation for critical components
  • Vendor integrity screening
  • Oversight of manufacturing and assembly

This is how Astral is building what we believe to be the only truly autonomous NDAA-compliant drone platform, a system where trusted hardware and secure AI autonomy are integrated by design, not added later.

Secure by Design. Autonomous by Default. Trusted by the U.S.

In a rapidly shifting regulatory environment, NDAA compliance remains the core requirement for fielding safe and secure autonomous systems.
Blue UAS and Green UAS help shape the landscape, but NDAA is the foundation for every operator who relies on AI, autonomy, and mission-critical reliability.

Astral’s upcoming Mothership platform is built on this foundation, delivering U.S.-aligned, AI-powered autonomy with uncompromising trust.

Learn More

Explore Astral’s NDAA-compliant autonomous systems at www.astral.us

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