Latest news with #Replicator
Cision Canada
24-07-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Global Military Drone Market Size on a Trajectory Toward $88 Billion as Demand Skyrockets
NEW YORK, /CNW/ -- The global military drone market is experiencing significant growth, fueled by increased defense spending, technological advancements, and evolving national security priorities. The defense and government drone market, driven by rapid technological advancements and evolving strategic needs, presents significant opportunities for companies that can navigate the complex regulatory environment and meet the demand for advanced and reliable unmanned systems. A report from Grandview Research said: "The global military drone market size was estimated at USD 36.14 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 88.01 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 13.8% from 2024 to 2030. North America holds the largest share of this market, primarily due to the significant investments in drone technology by the U.S. defense sector., Fast track contracts and policies." It continued: "The Pentagon's 'Replicator' program, focused on fast-tracking drone production, is estimated to cost around $500 million per year. The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) launched the Blue UAS program to rapidly vet and integrate commercial unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for the Department of Defense, recognizing the rapid advancements in commercial drone technology. Recent legislative measures, including executive orders like 'Unleashing American Drone Dominance', aim to prioritize American-made UAVs and streamline the procurement process for NDAA-compliant manufacturers. The new 'Cleared List' under the Blue UAS program leverages third-party verification, drastically reducing approval timelines for compliant manufacturers." Active Companies in the Drone Industry today include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS), Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS), Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO), L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX). Grandview Research continued with Market trends and drivers: "Growing demand for unmanned systems: UAVs offer numerous advantages, including reduced risk to personnel, persistent surveillance, and versatility in various missions. Technological advancements: Integration of AI and machine learning, miniaturization, improved battery life, and drone swarming technology are driving innovation and expanding drone capabilities., Rising geopolitical tensions and defense budgets: Nations are investing heavily in modernizing their defense capabilities, including unmanned aerial systems (UAS), to address evolving security threats. Shift towards smaller, tactical drones: These drones are ideal for short-range missions and provide real-time situational awareness to ground troops." ZenaTech (NASDAQ: ZENA) ZenaDrone Partners with Eagle Point Funding to Win US Defense Customers - ZenaTech, Inc. (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) ("ZenaTech"), a business technology solution provider specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drones, Drone as a Service (DaaS), Enterprise SaaS, and Quantum Computing solutions, today announces that its subsidiary ZenaDrone has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Eagle Point Funding, a specialized consultancy for technology and defense-focused companies, to help win US defense contracts. By leveraging Eagle Point's deep expertise in R&D grant program opportunities, the company will gain structured support in identifying and preparing competitive proposals, and in establishing and expanding relationships within key US defense and government agencies. "Our collaboration with Eagle Point Funding will accelerate testing, pilot deployments, and enable long-term procurement discussions—helping ZenaDrone to advance as a key provider of American-made drone solutions," said Shaun Passley, Ph.D., ZenaTech CEO. "Their expertise in navigating federal R&D funding programs such as SBIR and Department of Defense solicitations (DoD BAA), gives us a powerful advantage as we develop next-generation drone technologies aligned with US defense priorities. This partnership enhances our ability to accelerate product development, expand defense agency relationships, and unlock new growth without equity dilution." Eagle Point Funding helps technology companies secure non-dilutive federal R&D grants and contracts from agencies such as the DoD, Air Force, Navy, and others. They specialize in programs such as the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), Air Force Works (AFWERX), and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), guiding clients through the application process to win contracts. ZenaDrone has previously completed paid trials with the US Air Force and Navy Reserve, demonstrating its ability to deliver solutions including delivery of critical supplies such as blood in the field. The companies' suite of drones for military use includes the ZenaDrone 1000, the IQ Nano and the IQ Square drone that are designed for a variety of applications including inspections, surveillance, reconnaissance, and indoor inventory management for warehouses and armories. Continued… Read this full release and additional news for ZENA by visiting: Other developments in the drone/UAV & Military industries include: AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS), a leading provider of advanced drone and aerial imaging solutions, recently announced that its eBee VISION is now Blue UAS certified. This designation comes just a week after the Company's eBee TAC received Blue UAS certification. The Blue UAS certification makes the AgEagle drone eligible for procurement by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and other federal agencies and recognizes the drone as compliant with security and performance standards required by the DoD. "This is very welcome news, and we are so proud that now the eBee VISION joins our eBee TAC on the Blue UAS Cleared list for the Department of Defense," said Bill Irby, CEO of AgEagle Aerial Systems. "This is another pivotal achievement for AgEagle and will allow for fast acquisition and delivery of this much-needed capability into the hands of our Defense community to address swiftly evolving battlefield and security scenarios." Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS), a technology company in Defense, National Security and Global Markets, recently announced the successful demonstration of an end-to-end 5G-NTN network that combines the Kratos OpenSpace® software-defined satellite ground system with Intelsat's space and ground network, including its cloud-native, virtualized 5G core. This event represents a key milestone towards the seamless extension of terrestrial 5G networks with satellite technology, providing critical validation of satellite's role in the delivery of ubiquitous 5G services. The Third Generation Partnership Program (3GPP) incorporated Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs) into its 5G specifications with 3GPP Release 17, paving the way for the seamless extension of 5G services beyond terrestrial limits. Both Kratos and Intelsat are leading the market in 5G-NTN adoption; Kratos is working with key industry partners to develop cloud native 5G-NTN solutions for satellite operators, while Intelsat is focused on building a multi-layer, next-generation software-defined network. Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO), an award-winning developer of drone solutions and systems developer, recently announced the sale of Commander 3XL Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems to a globally recognized defense contractor specializing in persistent surveillance technologies for military operations. A trusted partner to U.S. and allied defense forces for decades, the client is one of the world's leading providers of persistent surveillance platforms. Its systems are deployed across key Department of Defense (DoD) and allied installations, delivering reliable, persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. The Commander 3XL's modular payload architecture, extended endurance, and AI-enabled mission control make it an ideal asset for military-grade surveillance programs. The systems will support perimeter security, early warning, and real-time situational awareness, operating seamlessly alongside and integrated with persistent platforms and ground-based command centers. L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) recently debuted a pack of launched effects vehicles, demonstrating the company's ability to respond to the U.S. Department of Defense's urgent need for advanced, capable and affordable munitions it can employ across services and domains. Red Wolf™ and Green Wolf™ are the first in L3Harris' expanding family of multi-role vehicles that can easily integrate and launch from air, ground or maritime-based platforms. Red Wolf is a kinetic platform for long-range precision strikes, while Green Wolf is an electronic warfare platform equipped with electronic attack and detect, identify, locate and report capabilities. Both vehicles are flexible, modular and feature advanced software for in-flight collaboration and re-targeting. They also support swarming capability of autonomous aircraft. DISCLAIMER: (MNU) is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. MNU is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. MNU and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. MNU'S market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. MNU is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. MNU HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE. This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and MNU undertakes no obligation to update such statements.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Peter Thiel-Backed Startup That Sends Drones In Ukraine Eyes 10,000 Units Monthly: 'Absolutely Required' To Win Future Conflicts, CEO Warns
When Soren Monroe-Anderson launched Neros Technologies in 2023, small drones weren't a priority for the Pentagon. A year later, his startup is delivering 1,000 first-person view drones per month to Ukraine under a six-month contract announced in February. Neros has also outlined a long-term plan to scale production to 1 million annually. Determined to ground their product in real-world needs, CEO Monroe-Anderson and his team traveled to Ukraine early on to study how small, low-cost attack drones were being used in combat. What they observed on the front lines helped define the company's focus on battlefield relevance, production scalability, and rapid design iteration, Defense News reports. Don't Miss:$100k+ in investable assets? – no cost, no obligation. According to Monroe-Anderson, the company started with a clean slate and built a scalable FPV drone system after being told that anything under 5,000 units a month would be irrelevant. "It took us a while to find the right customers and end users who were excited about the technology and wanted to move very quickly," Monroe-Anderson told Defense News. Neros is also in talks with the U.S. Department of Defense about deploying its systems across the military, Reuters reports. With backing from Sequoia Capital and Peter Thiel, Neros opened a 15,000-square-foot facility in Los Angeles and currently produces 1,500 drones monthly. Of those, 1,000 go to Ukraine and 500 to U.S. forces, Defense News says. The company has announced plans to expand production to 10,000 units per month by the end of 2025, which would total 120,000 drones annually. Monroe-Anderson told Defense News that the long-term goal is a facility that produces 1 million drones per year to meet anticipated demand from the DoD. Trending: Named a TIME Best Invention and Backed by 5,000+ Users, Kara's Air-to-Water Pod Cuts Plastic and Costs — He described this level of production as "absolutely required" to support U.S. military preparedness in future conflicts. "Even if the government right now isn't handing out a contract for a million drones a year, we know that's what the country needs," Monroe-Anderson told Defense News. "That's what we believe as a company, that's what our investors believe." The Pentagon has publicly embraced the need for low-cost, disposable drones, but its internal systems haven't caught up, Defense News reports. Despite launching the Replicator initiative in 2023 to deploy thousands of autonomous systems by August, experts say the Pentagon's current goals fall short of the scale truly needed for future conflicts. To stay ahead of potential procurement, Neros redesigned its entire supply chain to eliminate Chinese components and meet DoD compliance rules. According to Defense News, this distinction made it one of just two U.S. FPV drone makers approved by the Defense Innovation retaliated in December by placing sanctions on Neros alongside 12 other American defense companies. Despite that pressure, the company has continued building relationships with U.S. military officials. Monroe-Anderson told Defense News that he's seen a "pretty aggressive" shift in interest over the past year. What began as a struggle to convince decision-makers has turned into steady cold outreach from defense officials asking about drone specs and soldier training options. In his words, the company has gone "from nothing to some of our customers doing live-fire demonstrations to senior leaders in 12 months." Although Neros doesn't yet hold a massive Pentagon contract, Monroe-Anderson said their goal is to stay ready. The company is building now to match the surge in interest when it inevitably becomes a procurement priority. Read Next: The average American couple has saved this much money for retirement —? Image: Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Peter Thiel-Backed Startup That Sends Drones In Ukraine Eyes 10,000 Units Monthly: 'Absolutely Required' To Win Future Conflicts, CEO Warns originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Axios
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Axios
U.S. Army-led task force seeks counter-drone coordination
The U.S. Defense Department is assembling a counter-drone task force capable of coordinating actions taken by the often stovepiped military services. Why it matters: The group has the blessing of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Driving the news: Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus revealed the task force, still in its infancy, at a Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank event July 2. "We need an organization that is joint, interagency, has ... a colorless pot of money and the authorities to go from requirements all the way through acquisition in a rapid way, to be able to keep pace with that," he said. The intrigue: Mingus likened the drone-counter-drone threat to that of improvised explosive devices so often encountered during the global war on terror. "We cannot move fast enough in this space," he said. An explosive drone strike in early 2024 killed three U.S. troops at Tower 22 in Jordan. Zoom in: The Army is expected to lead the task force. Few other details are available. Questions sent to the service — concerning the task force's name, expected size and metrics of success — were not immediately answered. Zoom out: The drone threat has existed for years. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict opened Pandora's box while the Russia-Ukraine war injected its consequences into social media algorithms. Flashback: Under the Biden administration, the Pentagon launched the Replicator initiative, which sought to quickly find, buy and deploy thousands of drones and countermeasures.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pentagon seeks drone-killing technology that's safe for civilians
The Pentagon's Defense Innovation Unit plans to issue a solicitation for low-collateral counter-drone technology next week, part of the second iteration of its Replicator rapid-fielding effort that's focused on helping the Pentagon protect its installations from small-drone attacks. DIU Director Doug Beck told House lawmakers Thursday his organization is particularly interested in technologies that can take out drone threats in highly populated areas without major impacts on the environment and, critically, civilians. 'It's really about those low-collateral interceptors and getting after those solutions — whether it's through electronic means, kinetic or ballistic means or other forms of bringing those drones down,' Beck told the House Armed Services Tactical Air and Land Forces subcommittee in a hearing. Replicator's goal is to create a new pathway for the Pentagon to buy and scale high-need capabilities on faster timelines. Replicator 1, which is ongoing, set out to deliver thousands of low-cost drones by August of this year. Last September, then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced that the next phase of the effort, dubbed Replicator 2, would center on the small UAS challenge. DIU is leading Replicator 2 and is partnered closely with the Army-led Joint Counter-Uncrewed Aerial Systems Office, JCO, and the Counter Uncrewed Systems Warfighter Senior Integration Group. Speaking last week at the Apex Conference, DIU's chief of Policy Sunmin Kim said that along with its emphasis on low-collateral defeat systems, Replicator 2 is also focused on identifying more affordable systems that are available either commercially or from traditional defense contractors with mature technology. 'We're interested in low-cost sensing options, so things like passive [radio frequency] radars versus actually using active sensors that we typically do for aircraft,' she said. Defending against adversarial drones is a significant challenge for the U.S. military and its allies — from attacks in the Red Sea to reports of drone swarms flying over domestic bases. The Pentagon has launched a number of efforts and organizations over the last few years to address these threats, including the JCO and the Counter Uncrewed Systems Warfighter Senior Integration Group. Last year, the department designated the commanders of U.S. Northern Command and Indo-Pacific Command as 'lead synchronizers' for counter-UAS operations. And in December, DOD completed a classified counter-UAS strategy meant to provide a 'singular' focus on the most urgent challenges. Military leaders said Thursday that while the Defense Department is making progress identifying technical solutions and working through complex policies and authorizations, it's not moving fast enough. 'We're happy, but we're not satisfied,' Lt. Gen. Eric Austin, deputy commandant of the Marine Corps for capabilities, development and integration, said during the hearing. 'We're fielding equipment that has the ability and the built-in open architecture to adapt and improve from a software and a hardware perspective, but we've got a ways to go to keep up with the threat and exceed that threat.' Austin highlighted the Marine Air Defense System, or MADIS, which can integrate with the service's command and control systems and detect and take down small uncrewed aircraft. The Marine Corps also plans to field a prototype this fiscal year of a counter-UAS capability specifically designed to protect dismounted Marines. 'This initiative will put man-portable solutions into Marines' hands at the tactical edge,' Austin said. 'We are feverishly working in belief this will be a model for fielding and iterative improvement.' Maj. Gen. David Stewart, director of the JCO, and Beck both noted that while DOD has made strides toward identifying and developing counter-UAS technologies, it isn't buying and fielding those systems in sufficient quantities. 'I believe and assess the capability is there,' Stewart said. 'We have a bit of a capacity problem across each of the services.' Beck noted that for the services to fill those capacity gaps, they need more resources, authorities and funding flexibility from Congress. 'We need to be doing much, much more,' he said. 'We must put capability in place now. We must dramatically improve our capacity and speed to update unmanned and counter-unmanned technologies. We must build the muscle to do so at greater and greater scale.'
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Opinion - Hegseth wants massive Pentagon cuts, but many obstacles stand in his way
The Pentagon is not unaccustomed to what its denizens term 'cut drills.' These are last-minute orders to find funds to cut, numbering in the hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars, in an upcoming or current budget. Because of the last-minute nature of such requests for budget reductions, the programs most often scuttled are promising new development efforts, whether already in procurement or still in research and development. Legacy programs, on the other hand, which both Pentagon bureaucrats and Hill staffers favor, inevitably avoid the budget guillotine. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's demand for what can only be termed 'the mother of all cut drills' renders it inevitable that few programs, new or long-standing, will survive unscathed. His memo calls for an annual 8 percent reduction in budget authority though fiscal 2030. The Pentagon has indicated that its fiscal 2026 target is about $50 billion in cuts. But that amounts to less than 6 percent of the 2025 Biden defense budget. An 8 percent reduction in actual new budget authority would come to $72 billion in fiscal 2026 and some $375 billion through fiscal 2030. Both sets of estimates appear to be based on an annual inflation rate of 2.1 percent through 2030, which the Department of Defense assumed in its fiscal 2025 budget projection. But that rate seems artificially low, given the likelihood that the inflationary impact of tariffs will drive rates above the already higher current inflation rate of 3 percent. Applying a higher inflation rate could increase the Hegseth targets by at least another $10 billion. Hegseth has indicated that 17 categories of defense spending will be exempted from the proposed cuts. Some of these exemptions are vague programs with potentially major costs. The most egregious example is the plan for an Iron Dome system over America. This effort could cost as much as $100 billion annually through 2030; its total cost has been estimated at $2.5 trillion. Other programs — such as priority critical cybersecurity, 'executable surface ship programs' and what are termed 'Indo-Pacom construction projects' — will be less expensive than Iron Dome, but have yet to have their costs defined. Still other exempted programs with well-developed estimates will also consume a significant portion of the defense budget over the next several years. These include Virginia-class submarines, with a unit cost in excess of $7 billion; the Air Force Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, ranging from $750 million in FY 2026 to about $3 billion in FY 2030; the strategic nuclear modernization program, amounting to at least $18 billion annually; and Replicator and other dispensable drones, which, depending on the number purchased, could approach $1 billion. Given the decision to exempt major Navy and Air Force programs, it appears that Army programs, especially Army force levels, will be a major target for significant cuts. While Hegseth is unlikely to reduce military pay and benefits, their costs would drop commensurate with any reductions in military personnel. Civilian employee levels are certain to be another major target for reductions. The number of Defense Department civilians has risen since 2003 by 137,000, or nearly 20 percent, even though the U.S. is not involved in a major conflict. By far the biggest increase has been in the Defense Agencies, totaling over 80 percent. There appears to be no real justification for these increases. Finally, base operations, long considered to be a funding 'black hole' within the operations and maintenance accounts, could also face significant reductions. To achieve these cuts, however, requires an ability to identify how exactly funds for base operations are put to use. That has proved to be exceedingly difficult in past budget reduction attempts . While Army force levels, defense civilians and base operations are likely targets for budget reductions, the Pentagon has but a few days to identify these or other bill-payers for the so-called exempted programs, as well as the sources of the $50 billion or more in budget cuts that Hegseth is seeking. It is noteworthy that the Department of Defense did not list either aircraft carriers or the F-35 program as targets for reductions or even program termination. Until now, the only clearly identified reductions are in so-called 'woke' programs, and climate-change related efforts. Eliminating them will not bring the Pentagon even remotely close to its budget reduction target. To come anywhere close to Hegseth's target, the Pentagon bureaucracy will engage in yet another cut drill, with many promising programs falling on the cutting room floor while legacy activities survive yet again. Moreover, many of the administration's proposed reductions will have to face significant congressional opposition, even from otherwise supportive Republicans. There is a lengthy list of legacy programs that have survived well beyond their optimal service lives due to the jobs they created and sustained in members' districts. Bureaucrats working on these programs have a history of providing legislators with ammunition to sink any effort to kill their pet programs. As a result, even dovish members of Congress have consistently and successfully defended programs located in their district, regardless of expense or military suitability. Hegseth was able to overcome the challenges of Senate confirmation. That experience will be nothing compared to the congressional buzzsaw that is sure to materialize once he has actually specified which Pentagon programs he seeks to cut. He will not find it a pleasant experience. Dov S. Zakheim is a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and vice chairman of the board for the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He was undersecretary of Defense (comptroller) and chief financial officer for the Department of Defense from 2001 to 2004 and a deputy undersecretary of Defense from 1985 to 1987. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
