Neros Raises $35M for Combat Drones

Founded in 2023 and headquartered in El Segundo, California, Neros is an American aerospace and defense startup focused on building autonomous combat drones that meet the needs of modern warfare. In just over a year, Neros has progressed from stealth mode to live deployment, demonstrating extraordinary speed in both development and real-world adoption. Its emergence is particularly timely, as Western governments increasingly seek domestically manufactured, secure alternatives to Chinese-made UAV systems. With a commitment to full-stack U.S. production and battlefield-proven platforms, Neros is positioning itself at the forefront of the next generation of military drone technology.

What’s The Neros Mission and Vision?

Neros exists to fill a growing void in the defense technology space: reliable, scalable, and affordable drones made entirely outside of China. The company’s mission is to modernize how the U.S. and its allies deploy unmanned aerial systems, particularly in high-risk environments where autonomous tools can reduce human exposure and increase strategic agility.

Its vision is to make autonomous aerial warfare accessible and sustainable—not by replacing manned aircraft, but by augmenting operations with mass-manufacturable, intelligent systems that can be deployed quickly and at scale. At a time when global defense policy is shifting toward decentralized and tech-enabled warfare, Neros is laying the groundwork to become a key pillar in national defense architecture.

Core Technology and Products

Neros’ hardware platform centers around two flagship offerings:

• Archer: A long-range First-Person View (FPV) combat drone. Built with cost efficiency and frontline survivability in mind, the Archer is designed for direct battlefield use. It includes GPS-denied navigation and autonomous targeting systems—critical for operations in environments with heavy jamming or compromised infrastructure.

• Crossbow: A robust ground control station that complements the Archer drone. It supports seamless command-and-control operations, mission reconfiguration, and tactical swarm coordination.

What distinguishes Neros’ technology is its total commitment to domestic and secure sourcing. All components are sourced outside of China, mitigating the risk of embedded vulnerabilities or geopolitical supply chain complications. In an industry still recovering from overreliance on offshore manufacturing, this design principle gives Neros an immediate trust advantage.

Additionally, Neros has signaled its intent to develop swarm-capable systems that could act semi-independently, enabling multiple drones to engage in collaborative missions—searching, targeting, and reacting in real time.

Market Position and Traction

Within its first operational year, Neros achieved what many defense startups take several years to reach: active deployment in a live conflict zone. The company has already begun supplying drones to Ukraine, with a confirmed contract to deliver 6,000 FPV units over six months. This real-world traction gives Neros a level of battlefield credibility few early-stage companies possess.

The war in Ukraine has also become a proving ground for emerging military tech. Neros’ ability to meet urgent operational demands underlines the scalability and practicality of its platform, making it a standout player for defense contractors, NATO partners, and direct government clients.

Recent Fundraising Round

In March 2025, Neros announced the close of a $35 million Series A funding round, led by Vy Capital with participation from Sequoia Capital, Interlagos, D3, and prominent angel investor Keller Rinaudo Cliffton (CEO of Zipline).

The Series A capital will be used to:

• Expand manufacturing facilities and output capacity

• Hire top-tier talent in aerospace, autonomy, and defense logistics

• Continue scaling deliveries to active combat zones

• Deepen R&D into swarm AI and advanced targeting systems

• Advance commercial and military engagements in the U.S. and allied countries

This investment not only signals institutional confidence in the team and its technology—it also reflects the broader investor appetite for dual-use aerospace startups addressing urgent defense gaps.

Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations

Neros is actively engaged in discussions with both the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, with an eye toward integrating its UAVs into broader Department of Defense procurement pipelines. These talks focus on Neros’ compatibility with evolving battlefield doctrine, where speed, autonomy, and resilience matter more than ever.

Beyond governmental channels, the company is also forming strategic relationships with defense contractors and manufacturers to accelerate delivery timelines and enable rapid deployment models. This hybridized approach to public-private collaboration puts Neros in a strong position to win government contracts without becoming dependent on a single channel.

Why Neros is a Company to Watch

In an era when the defense sector is transforming toward faster, smarter, and more distributed systems, Neros represents exactly the kind of startup poised to define the future of combat UAVs. Their unique blend of battlefield validation, secure supply chain design, elite venture backing, and scalable infrastructure gives them an operational and reputational edge.

With $35 million in fresh capital, live deployments in Eastern Europe, and advanced negotiations with U.S. military leadership, Neros is not just a rising star—they are a critical case study in how lean defense startups can deliver immediate and measurable impact on global security.