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Neros

US FPV attack-drone maker whose 43% Phase 1 acceptance rate defined the Pentagon's mass-drone shortfall

Founded in 2023, Neros makes first-person-view attack drones for US military procurement. Its 2026 Gauntlet results made production acceptance a central test of the company’s role in the Pentagon’s mass-drone programme.

Last refreshed: 1 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

Why did Neros only pass 43% of its Archer drones through the Pentagon acceptance gate?

Timeline for Neros

#18 18 Sept

Announced a 14,000-drone order

Drones: Industry & Defence: DIU ranks Gauntlet II drone winners

#14 1 Jul

Advanced to Gauntlet II's final stage after its earlier 43% acceptance rate.

Drones: Industry & Defence: Pentagon orders 120 drones in five weeks

#13 17 Jun

Mentioned in: Skydio sells the Army drones at $20,800

Drones: Industry & Defence

#11 8 Jun

Drone Dominance Gauntlet opens 8 June

Drones: Industry & Defence

#12 7 Jun

Shipped all 2,400 contracted Archer drones; accepted only 1,040 at quality gate

Drones: Industry & Defence: Pentagon's drone buy lands a third short

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Background

Neros is a US first-person-view attack-drone maker. The company competed in the Pentagon’s Drone Dominance Gauntlet, where Skycutter finished ahead of Neros in March 2026.

The Firm’s place in the programme rests on whether it can turn drone-racing expertise into repeatable military supply. Pentagon selection stages in June and July 2026 tested competitors’ ability to deliver armed drones at scale, rather than demonstrate a single prototype.

Neros remained among the firms recognised in Gauntlet II on 18 September 2026. It later announced a 14,000-drone order on 30 September, making fulfilment and acceptance central to its standing in the US market.

Common Questions

Reference

What is the Neros Archer drone?

The ARCHeR is an 8-inch FPV quadcopter built by Neros Technologies of El Segundo, California. It carries a 4.5 lb payload over a 12-mile range and is produced at roughly 1,500 units per month for the US military and Ukraine.Source: event

Who runs Neros and where did they come from?

Soren Monroe-Anderson (CEO) and Olaf Hichwa co-founded Neros in 2023. Monroe-Anderson won the 2020 MultiGP World Champion title in drone racing and holds an MIT Electrical Engineering degree. Both visited Ukraine in 2023 to study battlefield drone requirements.Source: Defense News / DroneXL

Who founded Neros Technologies?

Neros was co-founded in 2023 by Soren Monroe-Anderson (CEO, MIT Electrical Engineering graduate and 2020 MultiGP World Champion) and Olaf Hichwa, both former professional drone racers who visited Ukraine to study battlefield FPV requirements.Source: event

What is the Pentagon doing about Chinese components in FPV drones?

Phase 2 of the Pentagon's drone procurement sets an August 2026 deadline for all contracted vendors, including Neros, to remove Chinese motors and batteries from their platforms, alongside new price caps of $4,500 and $3,500 per unit.Source: event

How did Neros perform in the Pentagon Drone Dominance Gauntlet?

Neros finished second in Phase 1 at Fort Moore, Georgia (March 2026) with 87.5 out of 100, placing 11.8 points behind winner Skycutter. It returned for Phase 2 Stage 1 at Camp Grayling, Michigan, running 8-20 June 2026.Source: event

Is Neros supplying drones to Ukraine?

Yes. Neros sends roughly two-thirds of its monthly production (around 1,000 ARCHeR drones) to Ukraine through an international Coalition, with the remaining 500 going to US military branches.Source: Defense News

How did Neros do in the Pentagon Drone Dominance Phase 1 competition?

Neros finished second with 87.5 out of 100 at the Phase 1 Gauntlet at Fort Moore in March 2026, placing 11.8 points behind winner Skycutter, which scored 99.3.Source: Lowdown

Source Material

Neros Technologies Neros (Wikipedia)'Made-in-America' drone maker Neros awaits its big Pentagon break