PDW
PDW (Performance Drone Works) is a U.S. defense drone manufacturer building modular C100 and AM-FPV small UAS, Blackwave anti-jamming radios, and PDW CORE/SIM software for the U.S. Army, Air Force, SOCOM, and allied militaries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersHuntsville, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What PDW does
PDW (Performance Drone Works) is a U.S. defense technology company that designs, manufactures, and fields tactical small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) primarily for the U.S. Department of Defense and allied militaries. Founded in 2018 by former leaders of the Drone Racing League and headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, PDW has built a vertically integrated, U.S.-based supply chain centered on a 90,000 square-foot manufacturing facility with stated annual capacity for up to 100,000 drones. The company's product portfolio centers on the C100, a modular multi-mission quadcopter with up to 74 minutes of flight endurance and a 15-pound payload capacity supporting ISR, targeting, communications relay, kinetic and non-kinetic payload delivery, and last-mile resupply. Complementing the C100 are the AM-FPV attritable multicopter (designed for tool-free assembly in under 120 seconds at fraction of comparable system cost), the Blackwave anti-jamming radio system, the PDW CORE software bundle (touch-friendly GCS UI, ATAK integration, mission planning, fleet management), and PDW SIM, a one-to-one flight simulator.
The company's technology is differentiated by Blackwave's decade-developed anti-jamming radio architecture, a GPS-denied visual navigation system optimized for low-altitude operation, and a modular open payload architecture validated through more than 50,000 combined flight hours. C100 is NDAA-compliant and on the Defense Innovation Unit Blue UAS List, and has been selected for the Army MRR Tranche 1 program and the DoD Replicator 1.2 initiative (alongside Anduril). PDW generates revenue through unit hardware sales under multi-year defense contracts, with disclosed wins including a $20M Army TiC contract, $15M+ in Army contracts across INDOPACOM/EUCOM/CENTCOM, a $6.9M USSOCOM Blackwave contract, and an Air Force C100 contract; software (PDW CORE, PDW SIM) is sold as a recurring add-on, and the company offers certified training services. Leadership combines combat veterans and defense technology veterans, including former USSOCOM Commander Gen. (Ret.) Tony Thomas III as Chairman. PDW has raised over $110 million in a Series B led by Ondas (March 2026), received a strategic investment from Booz Allen Hamilton (April 2026), and completed the acquisition of Vanteon Corporation (June 2026) to absorb approximately 40 RF and software-defined radio engineers.
PDW firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PDW
- Legal name
- Performance Drone Works, LLC
- Website
- https://pdw.ai
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- PDW (Performance Drone Works) is a U.S. defense drone manufacturer building modular C100 and AM-FPV small UAS, Blackwave anti-jamming radios, and PDW CORE/SIM software for the U.S. Army, Air Force, SOCOM, and allied militaries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PDW industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Defense Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS)
- NAICS
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (3364), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)
- SIC
- Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Modeling, Simulation, Digital Twins & Mission Rehearsal Systems (IMABAOAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) Electronics for Weapons (IMABAGAH)
Keywords
Where PDW is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Huntsville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
PDW business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Drone Hardware Sales: Sale of C100 multi-mission quadcopters and AM-FPV attritable drones to U.S. military branches. Contracts include Army ($15M+), SOCOM ($6.9M), and Air Force. Modular payload architecture enables various configurations.
- Software Licenses (PDW CORE, PDW SIM): Software bundles for C100 including mission planning, simulation, and fleet management. Available with new purchases and as upgrades for existing customers.
- Radio Systems (Blackwave): Anti-jamming radio platform development and sales. $6.9M contract from USSOCOM for continued Blackwave development.
- Training Services: Certified master trainer programs for drone operators including former Drone Racing League and law enforcement pilots. Building world-class drone operators through rigorous training.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | C100 Group 2 sUAS - multi-mission drone system |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | AM-FPV Attritable Multicopter |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
PDW product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PDW designs, manufactures, and sells multi-mission small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for defense and public safety customers. The core product line centers on the modular C100 quadcopter with up to 74 minutes of endurance and 15-pound payload capacity, plus the AM-FPV attritable multicopter for mass-scale deployment. Complementing the hardware, PDW offers the PDW CORE software bundle (mission planning, ATAK integration, fleet management) and the PDW SIM flight simulator, along with certified operator training services and the Blackwave anti-jamming radio system under contract with USSOCOM.
Product overview
PDW (Performance Drone Works) offers a platform-plus-modules product architecture centered on its C100 multi-mission quadcopter, the world's most mission-versatile small UAS. The C100 is a modular, tactical quadcopter with up to 74-minute endurance and 15-pound payload capacity, supporting ISR, targeting, strike, logistics, and communications relay missions. PDW extends this hardware platform with two software modules: PDW CORE, a ground control software bundle that fuses multi-sensor data, enables ATAK integration, and provides mission planning tools; and PDW SIM, a physics-accurate flight simulator running on the same controller as the physical drone. The AM Defense (Attritable Multicopter) family provides a lower-cost, rapidly-assembled FPV variant designed for mass scale production and contested environments. PDW also offers dedicated training services with veteran instructors. The company emerged from the Drone Racing League and holds contracts with all branches of the U.S. military.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- C100: Multi-mission quadcopter - the ultimate force multiplier for defense and public safety missions.
- AM (Attritable Multicopter)
- PDW SIM
- PDW CORE
- Blackwave
Products and services
- C100 Defense The C100 Defense is a multi-mission quadcopter sUAS designed for U.S. military and defense customers, featuring up to 74 minutes of flight endurance, a 15-pound payload capacity, and modular payload bays supporting ISR, target acquisition, signals intelligence, direct effects, communications relay, and last-mile resupply missions in contested environments.
- C100 Public Safety The C100 Public Safety is a variant of the C100 multi-mission quadcopter configured for public safety agencies, providing tactical drone capabilities for law enforcement, emergency response, and civil security operations.
- AM Defense (Attritable Multicopter) The AM Defense (Attritable Multicopter) is a purpose-built FPV drone system for harsh, contested environments, designed for mass-scale production at a fraction of the cost of comparable platforms with rapid-fire assembly in under 120 seconds without tools or soldering, featuring swappable arms and a universal mount for field repairability.
- PDW CORE PDW CORE is a software bundle for the C100 multi-mission quadcopter that adds capabilities including a touch-friendly UI for the Ground Control Station, an advanced mission planner, PDW SIM flight simulator integration, an ATAK plug-in (converting MavLink to Cursor on Target), and a Windows-compatible PDW Updater for fleet management.
- PDW SIM PDW SIM is a next-generation flight simulator for tactical sUAS that runs on the same controller used to fly the actual drone, using dynamic 3D maps from real-world geospatial data, physics-accurate flight modeling, and simulation of operational challenges like signal interference, weather, and battery limitations.
- PDW Training Services PDW Training Services build world-class drone operators through rigorous training with certified master instructors, including former Drone Racing League pilots and law enforcement drone operators.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 74 minutes flight endurance with payload
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use PDW
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
PDW technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability8 records
Feature7 records
PDW partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Vanteon CorporationcoreAcquisition adding approximately 40 engineers with expertise in RF design, mission-critical software, and hardware engineering. Vanteon has over 40 years of experience in advanced communications, radio frequency systems, and software-defined radio technologies.
- UK Ministry of DefenceminorFunded C100 demonstration with Leonardo DRS STAG 5 LTD for APKWS rocket guidance. Successful live-fire demonstration at 9 Mile Testing Center.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
PDW competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Anduril Industries: Anduril develops the Lattice autonomy platform and family of autonomous systems including Bolt-M, Roadrunner, and Ghost drones. Directly comparable to PDW as both were selected for the Replicator 1.2 attritable autonomous systems initiative and compete head-to-head for U.S. defense small UAS contracts.
- AeroVironment: AeroVironment manufactures Switchblade loitering munitions and Puma tactical UAS for military forces worldwide. The most direct competitor to PDW's AM-FPV and C100 in attritable/strike small drones, with deep incumbent DoD relationships and a multi-decade track record in tactical military UAS.
- Shield AI: Shield AI builds V-BAT VTOL tactical UAS and Hivemind autonomy software for defense applications. Directly competes with PDW's C100 in military ISR, autonomous navigation, and small tactical UAS, with similar software-defined autonomy approach and comparable funding stage.
- Skydio: Skydio manufactures autonomous drones for defense, public safety, and commercial markets with similar autonomous navigation capabilities. Competes with PDW in tactical small UAS and military autonomy segments, particularly for Army reconnaissance, security, and public safety customers.
- Red Cat Holdings (Teal Drones): Red Cat's Teal Drones subsidiary manufactures Teal 2 and Black Widow military small UAS. Direct competitor in the defense small UAS space, with Blue UAS approved platforms and similar pursuit of U.S. Army sUAS contracts including Army Reconnaissance and Short-Range Reconnaissance programs.
- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions: Kratos manufactures tactical UAS including Valkyrie, MQM-178 Firejet, and target drones for military and training missions. Comparable to PDW in the tactical military drone market with broader portfolio, established DoD prime contractor relationships, and significant manufacturing scale.
Broad incumbents
- L3Harris Technologies: L3Harris is a major defense prime offering integrated UAS, communications, and electronic warfare solutions across a broad portfolio. Overlaps with PDW in tactical radio systems, electronic warfare resilience, and drone integration, while also being a potential prime partner or competitor on integrated defense programs.
- Northrop Grumman: Northrop Grumman is a defense prime producing large UAS (Global Hawk, MQ-8 Fire Scout) and integrated mission systems. Adjacent competitor in military UAS with broader portfolio across ISR, strike, and autonomous systems, and a deep incumbent DoD customer base.
- General Atomics: General Atomics manufactures MQ-9 Reaper and Avenger military UAS, dominating the medium-altitude long-endurance UAS segment. Adjacent competitor in defense UAS with significantly larger scale, broader mission profile, and established DoD prime contractor status.
- BAE Systems: BAE Systems is a global defense integrator producing autonomous systems, electronic warfare, and intelligence solutions across a broad portfolio. Adjacent competitor with overlap in defense autonomy, ISR, and electronic warfare mission areas relevant to PDW's Blackwave radio and C100 platform capabilities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PDW social profiles
Digital presencePDW compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
PDW financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PDW leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
PDW subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
PDW funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PDW M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PDW
What does PDW do?
PDW designs, manufactures, and sells multi-mission small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for defense and public safety customers. The core product line centers on the modular C100 quadcopter with up to 74 minutes of endurance and 15-pound payload capacity, plus the AM-FPV attritable multicopter for mass-scale deployment. Complementing the hardware, PDW offers the PDW CORE software bundle (mission planning, ATAK integration, fleet management) and the PDW SIM flight simulator, along with certified operator training services and the Blackwave anti-jamming radio system under contract with USSOCOM.
Is PDW a public or private company?
PDW is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was PDW founded?
PDW was founded in 2020. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is PDW based?
PDW is headquartered in Huntsville, United States, in the North America region.
How does PDW make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Drone Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are software Licenses (PDW CORE, PDW SIM), radio Systems (Blackwave) and training Services.
Who are PDW's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Anduril Industries, AeroVironment, Shield AI, Skydio, Red Cat Holdings (Teal Drones) and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions. Broad incumbents are L3Harris Technologies, Northrop Grumman, General Atomics and BAE Systems.
Does PDW have an API?
No public API is recorded for PDW.
What industry is PDW in?
PDW's product category is Defense Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS). Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAOAL, Modeling, Simulation, Digital Twins & Mission Rehearsal Systems, with a secondary code of IMABAGAH, Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) Electronics for Weapons. Its NAICS code is 3364 and its SIC code is 3812.