120°W110°W100°W90°W80°W70°W25°N30°N35°N40°N45°N50°NGrid AeroSkydioSwarm AeroNeros TechnologiesFirestorm LabsShield AIDrone Companies in California
6 drone companies headquartered in California that build for defense and national security. Together they have disclosed $1.3B in funding, led by Skydio (~$672M). The newest round on record is Shield AI's Series H (Nov 2026).
Latest rounds
| Date | Company | Round | Amount | HQ | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2026 | Shield AI | Series H | $1B | San Diego, CA | Drones |
| Aug 2026 | Neros Technologies | Series C | $250M | El Segundo, CA | Drones |
| Apr 2026 | Skydio | Series F | $110M | San Mateo, CA | Drones |
| Apr 2026 | Firestorm Labs | Series B | $82M | San Diego, CA | Drones |
| Mar 2026 | Swarm Aero | Series A | $35M | Oxnard, CA | Drones |
| Jan 2026 | Grid Aero | Series A | $20M | San Leandro, CA | Drones |
All companies
Full directoryShield AI
San Diego, CaliforniaDevelops the Hivemind AI pilot and the V-BAT vertical takeoff drone, flying autonomously without GPS or communications for military reconnaissance and strike missions.
Neros Technologies
El Segundo, CaliforniaMass-produces low-cost Archer FPV strike drones and the Bandit interceptor with a vertically integrated, NDAA-compliant component stack.
Skydio
San Mateo, CaliforniaBuilds autonomous small drones such as the X10D for defense, public safety and infrastructure, with production at a factory in Hayward, California.
Firestorm Labs
San Diego, CaliforniaBuilds modular, 3D-printed military drones and xCell, a containerized factory that produces airframes near the front line.
Swarm Aero
Oxnard, CaliforniaBuilds large, long-range uncrewed aircraft for sensing and strike, with Legion software that lets one operator control many aircraft.
Grid Aero
San Leandro, CaliforniaBuilds Lifter Lite, a low-cost autonomous cargo aircraft that carries 2,000 to 10,000 pounds over thousands of miles for contested logistics.
Questions
How many drone companies are in California?
We track 6 as of November 14, 2026.