Army Buys Vulcan's Magnets for the Drone Motors It Now Builds Itself
The Army picked Vulcan Elements to supply rare-earth magnets for the brushless drone motors it builds at Tobyhanna Army Depot. The award notice shows $1.2 million; no order quantity or delivery date is public.
A $1.2 million award ties a North Carolina magnet startup to the Army's in-house motor line at Tobyhanna, with volume and timing still undisclosed.
The Army has competitively selected Vulcan Elements to supply neodymium iron boron magnets for its SkyFoundry drone initiative, the company announced on Sept. 23. The magnets go into brushless DC motors for small drones. The Army's award notice, issued by its Tobyhanna contracting office, lists a $1.2 million award dated June 30.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Army select Vulcan Elements to do?
Supply neodymium iron boron magnets for brushless DC motors in the Army's SkyFoundry small-drone initiative, per Vulcan's Sept. 23 announcement.
How much is the award worth?
The Army's award notice from its Tobyhanna contracting office lists $1.2 million, dated June 30, 2026. No order quantity has been disclosed.
Where are the drone motors built?
At a brushless motor line Army Materiel Command opened at Tobyhanna Army Depot, Pennsylvania, on June 30, 2026, per the Army.
Why did the Army require a domestic supplier?
The solicitation called for a fully domestic, vertically integrated process, per Vulcan. Chinese Commerce Ministry rules have required export licenses for certain rare-earth magnets since April 2025.
What remains unknown?
Order volume, delivery dates and the feedstock source for the Army magnets, per DroneLife. Vulcan's larger Benson plant has no firm date for full production.
AI-generated summary, reviewed by an editor. More on our AI guidelines.
Read next — from the Lexicon
Below this point
4 more sections.
Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.