Drone firm PDW lands $820 million Pentagon funding to build the next generation of UAS components as crackdown on foreign providers continues
America wants foreign parts out of its drones
by https://www.techradar.com/uk/author/efosa-udinmwen · TechRadarNews By Efosa Udinmwen Published 11 August 2026 2 min read
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- Pentagon backs $820 million expansion of domestic drone component manufacturing capacity
- PDW plans to expand its Huntsville facility for military drone production
- Funding will increase production of propulsion, power, and vision systems
The Pentagon has conditionally committed up to $820 million to Performance Drone Works (PDW) for expanding domestic UAS component manufacturing capacity.
The financing is meant to expand domestic manufacturing of critical unmanned aerial system components across several distinct product and technology categories.
PDW will have to expand manufacturing at its 90,000-square-foot facility in Huntsville, Alabama, while additional production will involve local industry partners.
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Components for smaller military drones
The production will cover Group 1 and Group 2 UAS platforms, representing relatively lightweight systems used for lower-altitude military operations.
Under US military classifications, Group 1 drones weigh less than 20 pounds and operate at service ceilings of up to 1,200 feet.
Group 2 systems weigh no more than 55 pounds and operate below 3,500 feet under the Pentagon's established classification framework.
The funding, therefore, concerns components that support smaller aircraft rather than larger unmanned systems used for longer-range military missions.
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