When Soren Monroe-Anderson launched Neros Technologies in 2023, small drones weren't a priority for the Pentagon. A year later, his startup is delivering 1,000 first-person view drones per month to Ukraine under a six-month contract announced in February. Neros has also outlined a long-term plan to scale production to 1 million annually.
Determined to ground their product in real-world needs, CEO Monroe-Anderson and his team traveled to Ukraine early on to study how small, low-cost attack drones were being used in combat. What they observed on the front lines helped define the company's focus on battlefield relevance, production scalability, and rapid design iteration, Defense News reports.
Don't Miss:
- If You're Age 35, 50, or 60: Here’s How Much You Should Have Saved Vs. Invested By Now
- $100k+ in investable assets? Match with a fiduciary advisor for free to learn how you can maximize your retirement and save on taxes – no cost, no obligation.
According to Monroe-Anderson, the company started with a clean slate and built a scalable FPV drone system after being told that anything under 5,000 units a month would be irrelevant.
"It took us a while to find the right customers and end users who were excited about the technology and wanted to move very quickly," Monroe-Anderson told Defense News.
Neros is also in talks with the U.S. Department of Defense about deploying its systems across the military, Reuters reports.
- Massive Demand & Disruptive Potential – Boxabl has received interest for over 190,000 homes, positioning itself as a major disruptor in the housing market.
- Revolutionary Manufacturing Approach – Inspired by Henry Ford’s assembly line, Boxabl’s foldable tiny homes are designed for high-efficiency production, making homeownership more accessible.
- Affordable Investment Opportunity – With homes priced at $60,000, Boxabl is raising $1 billion to scale production, offering investors a chance to own a stake in its growth.
A Young Company With Massive Ambitions and Elite Backers
With backing from Sequoia Capital and Peter Thiel, Neros opened a 15,000-square-foot facility in Los Angeles and currently produces 1,500 drones monthly. Of those, 1,000 go to Ukraine and 500 to U.S. forces, Defense News says.
The company has announced plans to expand production to 10,000 units per month by the end of 2025, which would total 120,000 drones annually. Monroe-Anderson told Defense News that the long-term goal is a facility that produces 1 million drones per year to meet anticipated demand from the DoD.
Trending: Named a TIME Best Invention and Backed by 5,000+ Users, Kara's Air-to-Water Pod Cuts Plastic and Costs — And You Can Invest At Just $6.37/Share
He described this level of production as "absolutely required" to support U.S. military preparedness in future conflicts. "Even if the government right now isn't handing out a contract for a million drones a year, we know that's what the country needs," Monroe-Anderson told Defense News. "That's what we believe as a company, that's what our investors believe."
Pentagon Interest is Growing, but Not Yet at Scale
The Pentagon has publicly embraced the need for low-cost, disposable drones, but its internal systems haven't caught up, Defense News reports. Despite launching the Replicator initiative in 2023 to deploy thousands of autonomous systems by August, experts say the Pentagon's current goals fall short of the scale truly needed for future conflicts.
To stay ahead of potential procurement, Neros redesigned its entire supply chain to eliminate Chinese components and meet DoD compliance rules. According to Defense News, this distinction made it one of just two U.S. FPV drone makers approved by the Defense Innovation Unit.
See Also: This AI-Powered Trading Platform Has 5,000+ Users, 27 Pending Patents, and a $43.97M Valuation — You Can Become an Investor for Just $500.25
Beijing retaliated in December by placing sanctions on Neros alongside 12 other American defense companies. Despite that pressure, the company has continued building relationships with U.S. military officials. Monroe-Anderson told Defense News that he's seen a "pretty aggressive" shift in interest over the past year. What began as a struggle to convince decision-makers has turned into steady cold outreach from defense officials asking about drone specs and soldier training options. In his words, the company has gone "from nothing to some of our customers doing live-fire demonstrations to senior leaders in 12 months."
Although Neros doesn't yet hold a massive Pentagon contract, Monroe-Anderson said their goal is to stay ready. The company is building now to match the surge in interest when it inevitably becomes a procurement priority.
Read Next: The average American couple has saved this much money for retirement — How do you compare?
Image: Shutterstock
© 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
