PDW to acquire New York communications engineering company
As autonomous systems become more capable and increasingly central to military operations, the ability to move information reliably, securely, and rapidly across contested environments is becoming one of the most important technical challenges facing modern military operations.
That is one of the reasons Huntsville-based PDW has entered into an agreement to acquire Vanteon of Rochester, N.Y., PDW CEO James Slider said.
PDW (Performance Drone Works) designs, engineers, and manufactures unmanned systems and solutions for defense and public safety.
Vanteon is an engineering firm with decades of experience developing advanced communications, radio frequency systems, and software-defined radio technologies.
PDW officials said the planned acquisition strengthens the company’s ability to design, develop, and deliver next-generation sUAS capabilities and expands mission-critical connectivity at the tactical edge. The company said the Vanteon acquisition further optimizes its vertically integrated platform and advances its mission to deliver decisive airpower into the hands of every operator.
“Modern military operations depend on resilient communications, rapid innovation, and the ability to field new capabilities quickly,” Slider said. “Vanteon strengthens our ability to deliver resilient communications and integrated capabilities to warfighters. Just as importantly, they are a trusted partner of PDW bringing an exceptional team of engineers whose experience spans hardware, software, integration, and advanced payload development.
“By bringing those capabilities into PDW, we can accelerate innovation across our entire product portfolio while continuing to deliver the reliable, operator-focused systems our customers depend on.”
Vanteon brings more than 40 years of experience delivering advanced communications and embedded systems, along with a team of approximately 40 highly skilled engineers with expertise spanning hardware, software, embedded systems, RF design, and communications technologies.
“PDW and Vanteon share a commitment to solving hard technical problems for operators in demanding environments,” said Vanteon CTO Aaron Roof. “Their operator-first focus aligns directly with how we’ve built our systems, and we’re excited to bring our expertise in RF engineering and design, and software-defined radios, into a broader operational platform.”
PDW develops and mass-manufactures aerial robotic systems and software that deliver advanced surveillance, electronic warfare, and strike capabilities for the United States and its allies.
The company said it is building a new category of tactical robotic systems that bridges the gap between low-capability drones and high-end platforms, with a mission to bring decisive airpower into the hands of every operator.
Designed by operators and produced at scale in the United States, PDW operates Drone Factory 01, a high-rate production facility in Cummings Research Park with the capacity to manufacture up to 100,000 systems annually.
PDW systems are shaped by real-world deployments and built to perform under pressure, delivering scalable airpower at the tactical edge.
“As autonomy continues to evolve, resilient communications, spectrum awareness, and electronic warfare will become increasingly more important,” Slider said. “We believe expanding our capabilities in these areas strengthens PDW’s ability to deliver the next generation of autonomous systems while continuing to provide the reliability, adaptability, and performance our customers expect.
“We’re excited to welcome Aaron Roof and the entire Vanteon team to PDW and look forward to building what comes next together.”
