Neros and Perennial Autonomy Top Pentagon's Second Drone Gauntlet Ahead of a 60,000-Drone Order
The Gauntlet II leaderboard picks the vendors in line for a 60,000-drone Pentagon order, but the program still calls them finalists and says awards are not guaranteed.
The Gauntlet II leaderboard picks the vendors in line for a 60,000-drone Pentagon order, but the program still calls them finalists and says awards are not guaranteed.
Perennial Autonomy ranked first in Deep Strike and Neros led Close Quarters Battle in the Pentagon's second Drone Dominance gauntlet, the program's leaderboard shows. Perennial scored 80.1 points. Neros scored 88.1.
Gauntlet II ran at Fort Carson, Colorado, from Aug. 16 through Sept. 5, the Army's Aviation and Missile Command said. Deep Strike ran find-fix-finish missions from a 15-kilometer stand-off. Close Quarters Battle tested drones in confined spaces. Extra lanes scored live kinetic engagement and electronic-warfare performance against counter-UAS systems, with some runs repeated at night.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Drone Dominance Gauntlet II?
Perennial Autonomy ranked first in Deep Strike with 80.1 points and Neros ranked first in Close Quarters Battle with 88.1 points, per the program's leaderboard.
Where and when was Gauntlet II held?
At Fort Carson, Colorado, from Aug. 16 through Sept. 5, 2026, according to the Army's Aviation and Missile Command.
How were the drones scored?
The program combined event performance, military operator evaluations, and production and supply-chain capability. Deep Strike ran at a 15-kilometer stand-off; extra lanes tested kinetic engagement and electronic-warfare performance.
Have the winners received contracts?
Not yet. The program plans orders for 60,000 drones from top performers, but it calls the ten firms finalists for prototype contracts and says awards are not guaranteed.
Which public companies are exposed to the results?
XTEND is the only public company among the top-five finishers, per Challenging Defence Markets. Kopin's CEO said its FPV headsets are used by five of the top 10.
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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.