Swarm Defense Selected for $1.1 Billion U.S. Drone Program

Detroit-based Swarm Defense Technologies has been selected by the U.S. Department of War as one of 25 companies to join its $1.1 billion Drone Dominance Program, announced in a press release. The initiative will deploy attack drone systems to military forces on a large scale, with Swarm Defense competing in the Phase I Gauntlet later this month.

During the Gauntlet, drone systems will be tested in mission scenarios including 10-kilometer range strikes and urban target identification. Up to 12 companies will move on to initial production contracts, as the program targets delivery of 340,000 drones through four phases by January 2028.

Swarm Defense, which spun out from Firefly Drone Shows in August 2024, operates a Detroit manufacturing facility with NDAA-compliant supply chains. The company currently produces 72,000 units annually and plans to scale to over 250,000. Its proprietary swarm coordination software allows a single operator to control thousands of drones simultaneously without collisions, a requirement for later phases of the program.

The company’s KIWI one-way attack drone features modular payloads, a 10-kilometer range, and a stackable form factor for rapid deployment. Swarm Defense aims to leverage its experience from entertainment drone operations to meet defense manufacturing demands.