Orqa U.S. Secures $38 Million Contract for Drone Production

OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 13, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Orqa U.S., a U.S.-owned and independently controlled unmanned systems company, has secured a significant contract worth $38 million to manufacture drones for the Department of War’s Drone Dominance Gauntlet II program. This latest award builds on the company’s previous success, having delivered 240 drones under a $1.5 million contract and performing well in the close-quarters portion of the Drone Dominance Gauntlet II competition.

Charles Phillips, CEO of Orqa U.S., expressed pride in the company’s achievement.

Orqa U.S. was established through a strategic partnership between Orqa and By Light Professional IT Services LLC. Orqa provides the drone technology, while By Light supports manufacturing and compliance. By Light will manufacture the systems at its 180,000-square-foot facility in Port Orange, Florida, which includes capabilities for UAS assembly, advanced manufacturing, testing, quality control, and onshoring.

The selected system is from the MRM2 suite of products and features an 8-inch indoor drone and Orqa’s ground control system. The company has developed and refined the technology over the past decade to enable users to develop, test, and integrate it with their platforms and systems in demanding operational environments, including real-world combat conditions.

With this new contract, Orqa U.S. is excited to expand production of the MRM2 in the United States and deliver the system to support the U.S. Government’s growing demand for domestically manufactured, compliant unmanned systems. The company serves customers in more than 50 markets, including 24 NATO member states, ensuring that its products contain no Chinese critical components and are designed, engineered, and built in-house.

Orqa U.S. is a U.S.-owned and independently controlled unmanned aerial systems company established to deliver fully compliant, American-made drone systems to the U.S. Government at scale. Formed through a strategic partnership between Orqa and By Light Professional IT Services, Orqa U.S. is the sole authorized provider of Orqa technology to U.S. Government customers. Orqa is one of the world's largest UAV manufacturers, serving customers in more than 50 markets, including 24 NATO member states. Orqa products contain no Chinese critical components, with all key elements designed, engineered, and built in-house. By Light, headquartered in McLean, Virginia, provides cyber and warfighter training platforms for Defense and National Security missions. It brings U.S.-based manufacturing that moves allied technologies into domestic production, along with the synthetic and live environments used to develop and test ground and air autonomous systems. Together, they give U.S. forces proven allied drone technology, built in America and validated in mission-realistic conditions.