First Breach Reports 161 km/h Drone Prototype Test Result, With Further FAA Approval Pending
First Breach says its drone prototype reached 161 km/h (100 mph) during flight testing without a payload, while further testing remains subject to FAA authorisation.
First Breach Inc. (NASDAQ:FBDT) says its drone prototype reached 161 km/h (100 mph) during flight testing without a payload. The company said the result matches the maximum groundspeed allowed for small unmanned aircraft under FAA Part 107 without a waiver, and that it is seeking approval for tests at higher speeds.
The test was conducted using the platform’s current configuration. First Breach said the result was above the 120 km/h (74 mph) maximum speed previously included in its specifications.
According to Chief Executive Officer and co-founder Jeffrey Low, the test ended because of the applicable FAA restriction rather than a stated limit in the aircraft’s performance. First Breach is working to obtain authorisation for additional testing, while Hellbender has begun the process of seeking FAA waivers.
The company said it expects to assess the platform’s full speed envelope after the required authorisation is secured. That testing has not yet been authorised, based on the information provided.
First Breach continues to target completion of its initial prototypes in the fourth quarter of 2026. It also targets the start of scaled production in the second quarter of 2027.
The company has set a targeted production capacity of more than 2,500 drones per week as manufacturing operations expand. Jordan Low, co-founder, president and chief operating officer, said the FAA waiver process is proceeding alongside the production ramp rather than being described as a prerequisite for it.
First Breach said the platform is being developed for defence customers and identified range, payload and the ability to operate in the presence of jamming as other programme considerations. The company’s stated position is that speed contributes to survivability and mission tempo.
First Breach describes itself as an ISO 9001:2015 certified, American-made defence technologies company. Its activities include the manufacture of ammunition components and finished ammunition, as well as the development of unmanned aerial systems for commercial, law enforcement and military markets. Its manufacturing operations are based at its Hagerstown, Maryland facility.
Hellbender, based in Pittsburgh, supports the programme with capabilities in physical AI, computer vision, drones, robotics, electronics design and automated manufacturing. Its operations include engineering, prototyping, printed circuit board assembly, sensor integration, robotic manufacturing and production testing.
First Breach said its development, production and other forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. The company identified economic, business, market, competitive, regulatory, technological, legal and geopolitical conditions, along with its ability to execute its strategy, access to capital and financing, customer demand and industry developments, as factors that could cause actual results to differ materially.
First Breach announced that its proprietary drone prototype reached 161 km/h (100 mph) during flight testing without a payload. The speed was achieved on the current prototype configuration and is the maximum groundspeed permitted for small unmanned aircraft under FAA Part 107 without a waiver.
First Breach announced the result on October 20, 2026. The announcement concerns the prototype’s current flight-testing performance and the company’s plans to continue testing subject to FAA authorisation.
First Breach said the prototype reached 161 km/h (100 mph) without a payload. The company said this exceeded the 120 km/h (74 mph) maximum speed previously published in its specifications for the platform.
First Breach said testing stopped at 161 km/h (100 mph) because FAA Part 107 rules set that maximum groundspeed for small unmanned aircraft without a waiver, rather than because the aircraft had run out of margin. Jeffrey Low, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, said the company is working with the FAA to determine how much speed remains above that limit.
First Breach said it is in the process of obtaining FAA authorisation to test at speeds above the Part 107 limit. Hellbender has initiated the process of obtaining FAA waivers, and the company said it expects to characterise the platform’s full speed envelope once authorisation is in place.
Jeffrey Low said speed contributes to survivability and mission tempo for the defence customers First Breach is building for. Jordan Low, Co-Founder, President and Chief Operating Officer, said range, payload and the ability to fight through jamming are also important to these programmes, while speed makes each of those harder to stop.
First Breach continues to target completion of its initial prototypes in the fourth quarter of 2026 and the start of scaled production in the second quarter of 2027. The company also has a targeted production capacity of more than 2,500 drones per week as manufacturing operations expand.
First Breach is an ISO 9001:2015 certified, American-made defence technologies company focused on manufacturing match-grade ammunition components, finished ammunition and developing next-generation unmanned aerial systems. It says its products serve commercial, law enforcement and military markets, with manufacturing conducted in-house at its Hagerstown, Maryland facility.
Hellbender is supporting the programme through engineering and advanced manufacturing capabilities covering physical AI, computer vision, drones, robotics, electronics design and automated manufacturing. First Breach said Hellbender has initiated the FAA waiver process and that the process is running in parallel with the production ramp.
First Breach’s shares trade on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol FBDT, as stated in the announcement.
First Breach said its forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially. The risks listed include changes in economic, business, market, competitive, regulatory, technological, legal and geopolitical conditions, as well as the company’s ability to execute its strategy, access to capital and financing, customer demand and industry developments.