The new generation of defence companies emerging from the US UAV boom
US soldiers train with a Neros Archer UAV at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, on 3 June 2026. (Pennsylvania National Guard photo by Brad Rhen)
As the Pentagon accelerates procurement of low-cost, lethal UAVs through its Drone Dominance Program, emerging suppliers will need to demonstrate manufacturing capacity, supply chain resilience and reliability.
US startup Swarm Defense Technologies has only been manufacturing uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) since 2021 but has already secured a minimum US$25 million prototype delivery order from the US Department of Defense (DoD) to build 4,000 Kiwi one-way UAS, including munitions, under the country’s Drone Dominance Program (DDP).
Getting the contract was a “huge” step for the company, said Connor McGaffey, marketing director at Swarm Defense, as it catapulted the startup on its path to making swarm systems, which enable a sole operator to manage multiple uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) simultaneously.
Originally a supplier of drones to the commercial light show
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