Ascent Aerosystems, a Massachusetts-based manufacturer of rugged, all-weather coaxial unmanned aerial systems, announced this week that it has become the first domestic small drone manufacturer to achieve Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 2. They received a perfect assessment score, receiving 110 out of 110, making it part of a group of fewer than 400 organizations within the U.S. Defense Industrial Base that have met this requirement, less than one percent. This score, Ascent Aerosystems notes, is a “foundational requirement” for doing business with the Department of Defense (DoD) and other federal agencies starting in November of this year. 

This compliance certification verifies that Ascent has implemented and validated robust cybersecurity and information-security controls to protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), while also underscoring the company’s “readiness to meet the DoD’s increasing demand for secure, NDAA-compliant UAS platforms across aerospace, defense, and government missions.”

“In today’s complex and ever-changing security landscape, cybersecurity readiness is a cornerstone of national defense readiness,” said Paul Fermo, President of Ascent AeroSystems, in a statement. “At Ascent, our commitment to security is part of our DNA. Achieving CMMC 2.0 certification further demonstrates our dedication to the highest possible standards as a U.S. manufacturer and supplier of NDAA-compliant Unmanned Aerial Systems.”

Starting on November 10, the DoD and other federal agencies in the U.S. will have a mechanism to require conformance to one of three levels of cybersecurity requirements, though there is a phase-in period of three years for this requirement to be applied to nearly all DoD solicitations and contracts. For Ascent Aerosystems, they say their combination of “proven manufacturing expertise, MOSA-ready modular design, Blue UAS Cleared and NDAA-compliant platforms, and now, CMMC 2.0 certification, makes it the only domestic small UAS partner capable of supporting the Department’s vision for building a secure, scalable, and sustainable UAS ecosystem.”

“Being the first small UAS manufacturer to earn CMMC 2.0 certification is also a testament to the rigor and discipline of our team,” Fermo said. “Their unwavering commitment to excellence is at the core of why Ascent continues to be a trusted, ready partner to deliver the secure, American-made UAS solutions the DoD requires.”

Source: Press Release