The Pentagon’s Drone Dominance Program (DDP) has officially announced its Phase 2 Qualifier invitees. It has named 48 companies to compete for a coveted slot in Gauntlet II. This constitutes a dramatic expansion from the 18 companies originally planned for the round. The qualifier event will take place at Camp Grayling, Michigan, in June, where competitors will put approximately 78 unique drone designs to the test.
A Bigger Field, Higher Stakes
To earn a Gauntlet II berth, qualifying companies must demonstrate serious production readiness. The expanded field is a mix of veterans and newcomers. Seventeen companies will return from Gauntlet I including award winners Ascent Aerosystems, Auterion, Farage Precision, Griffon Aerospace, Halo Aeronautics, ModalAI, Neros, Skycutter, Ukrainian Defense Drones Tech Corp., and XTEND Reality, among others. Twenty-seven companies are entering the Gauntlet competition for the first time, including AeroVironment, ADS + LUMENIER, Cyclops Defense, DefendEye USA, Griff Aerospace and Volatus Aerospace USA.
Two Mission Sets, One Shot
Phase II introduces two distinctly bifurcated mission areas that raise the performance bar significantly over Phase I. Competing drones must prove themselves in either, or both, of the following categories:
- Long Range Strike: Engagements up to 20 kilometers, double the range required in Phase I, conducted in a contested electronic warfare environment.
- Tactical Assault in Close Quarters: Short-range missions of up to 2 kilometers in complex urban environments, including interior spaces.
Companies may bring two different drone types to compete across both mission sets. DDP plans to ultimately award production contracts for five long-range designs and three close-quarters designs out of the qualifying pool.
What’s on the Line
The financial stakes are substantial. Gauntlet II carries a commitment of at least $300 million for the procurement of 60,000 drones from up to 10 companies, with a pay-for-performance model and a $5,500 per-unit price cap for FPV systems. The program is part of the War Department’s broader ambition to field more than 200,000 industry-made drones by 2027.
With the qualifier round set for June and Gauntlet II scheduled for late August 2026, the race is on. The expanded field signals DDP’s intent to cast a wide net before narrowing to the companies that can truly deliver at scale, not just in performance, but in production.
Find the full list here.