Neros has secured an order for more than 14,000 drones worth $100 million following its performance in Gauntlet 2 of the US Department of Defense’s Drone Dominance Program.
Through the award, the company will deliver its flagship Archer family to American warfighters, including an AI-powered variant capable of autonomously flying toward a confirmed target.
The order covers first-person-view (FPV) systems and smaller Archer variants designed for close-quarters combat in urban and indoor environments.
Neros said the award will also mark the first time it delivers drones equipped with its adaptive payload exchange (APEX) system in bulk.
The APEX-enabled drones can carry a range of tactical payloads and allow operators to reconfigure the systems in real time based on battlefield requirements.
Put Through the Wringer
During Gauntlet 2, manufacturers were evaluated on deep-strike and close-quarters battle performance, with the trials conducted under simulated nighttime conditions.
The systems also underwent electronic warfare assessments, with each unmanned aircraft flown against counter-drone systems.
Neros placed first overall in the close-quarters battle trial and third in the deep-strike evaluation.
Bonus Drone Orders
Separately, Neros received a bonus order for another 800 drones based on its performance in Gauntlet 1 of the program.
The Department of Defense reportedly reallocated the order after undisclosed companies failed to meet production deadlines.
“We’re the only manufacturer to receive multiple bonus awards for Gauntlet I based on our delivery speed — and we’re ready to fulfill this next batch of 14,000 drones, and more whenever the Department of War signals need for them,” Neros CEO Soren Monroe-Anderson said.
