A pair of companies are coming together to give a boost to American defense technology.

Huntsville-based Performance Drone Works announced that Booz Allen’s new mission autonomy software will be integrated on its attritable multirotor drones.

The software supports autonomy-enabled mission execution, helping operators execute parts of the mission workflow with reduced manual control while retaining mission decision-making authority.

PDW is also integrating Booz Allen’s secure, over-the-air fleet update product across its aircraft portfolio.

“The advantage will belong to the force that can field, adapt, and scale unmanned and autonomous systems fastest,” said CEO James Slider. “Through our work with Booz Allen, operators gain advanced autonomy at the point of decision and a faster path to updated fielded aircraft as missions change, backed by U.S. capacity to produce and sustain their aircraft at scale.

“Warfighters should not have to stand by for airpower or be limited by a static capability outpaced by modern conflict.”

The offerings advance PDW’s strategy to move decisive capability closer to the operator and keep fielded systems relevant as missions change. The program is backed by Drone Factory 01, PDW’s 90,000-square-foot Huntsville facility, which has an annual production capacity of 100,000 drones.

AM is an unmanned aircraft system that can be recovered and reused for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, payload delivery, and other missions, then configured for attritable strike when required.

Customers can operate AM in its base configuration or add Booz Allen’s autonomy software. These capabilities are designed to reduce cognitive burden and help operators make faster, informed decisions while preserving their control over mission outcomes.

The combined hardware and software product began controlled testing last month and is planned for general availability in the first quarter of 2027.

PDW and Booz Allen plan to develop additional autonomous software options and extend the mission autonomy software to the C100 in 2027.

“The Department of War needs autonomy that works at the pace of the mission,” said Randy Yamada, a vice president and autonomy lead within Booz Allen’s defense technology business. “Booz Allen’s autonomy software gives unmanned aircraft onboard mission behaviors that help reduce operator burden and keep teams focused on mission outcomes, while our fleet update manager provides the secure software delivery and lifecycle management needed to update and verify those capabilities across a distributed fleet, even in contested, disconnected environments.

“Together, they operationalize these capable platforms that can evolve as the threat does.”