Trump-Linked Drone Startup Enters Race for Pentagon Contracts

A new drone manufacturer partly owned by Donald Trump’s two oldest sons is positioning itself to compete for U.S. defense contracts as the Pentagon invests heavily in domestic drone production.

The company, Powerus, is one of dozens of firms seeking a share of roughly $1.1 billion in Pentagon funding aimed at strengthening the United States’ manufacturing base for armed drones.

The investment push follows a U.S. ban on importing drones from China, a move intended to reduce reliance on foreign technology and expand domestic defense manufacturing.

Powerus was founded about a year ago by former U.S. Army Special Operations veterans and initially focused on commercial drone applications such as agriculture and wildfire response.

The company is now expanding into the military sector, aiming to develop armed drones similar to systems increasingly used in modern conflicts.

To support its growth, Powerus has raised $60 million from investors and acquired three rival drone companies in the past six months, part of a strategy to quickly scale its technology and production capabilities.

As competition intensifies among U.S. defense contractors, companies across the sector are racing to secure Pentagon contracts tied to the rapid expansion of drone warfare technologies.