Rock Hill Becomes US Headquarters for Major Military Drone Manufacturer

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Charlotte Stories
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Rock Hill just became home to one of the largest military drone manufacturers in the nation.

Powerus has officially made Rock Hill its U.S. headquarters after completing its merger with Aureus and beginning trading on Nasdaq under PUSA.

“When we agreed to combine with Powerus, the case was simple: a U.S.-headquartered autonomous systems company that was already building and selling,” said AGH CEO Matthew Saker in a press release. “Today that company is public. That was the point of the transaction.”

Powerus develops military drones, autonomous aircraft and counter-drone systems for defense and critical infrastructure.

One of its flagship products is the Guardian interceptor, which the company describes as a kinetic system designed to destroy hostile drones.

The completion of the merger follows a series of previously announced Powerus developments:

  • A purchase order from a defense prime contractor for the U.S. Department of War, valued at approximately $2.5 million, according to Powerus, for 1,500 U.S.-manufactured FPV aircraft, together with pilot kits and spare parts kits. As previously disclosed, that order does not guarantee future orders, a continuing customer relationship, or program-of-record status.
  • A competitively awarded U.S. Air Force indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract for the Company’s Guardian-2 counter-drone interceptor, with a ceiling value of up to $90 million and a term running through mid-2028. An IDIQ contract establishes a maximum value; orders are placed at the government’s discretion and actual awards may be materially less than the ceiling.
  • A limited procurement order from the U.S. Air Force for Guardian-2 Interceptor systems, placed following a successful demonstration. As previously disclosed, that order does not guarantee future orders, a continuing customer relationship, or program-of-record status.
  • Advancement to Phase 3 of the U.S. Army’s xTech Adaptive Strike Competition, following a Phase 2 field evaluation. Participation in a prize competition does not constitute a procurement contract or a commitment to purchase.
  • The launch of a Powerus agriculture division, together with a $60 million, according to Powerus, Australia-New Zealand distribution agreement, including an exclusive agency and distribution agreement with Aerospread Technologies Limited of Napier, New Zealand, and a U.S. partnership with Sprig Aerospace. Distribution agreements establish sales arrangements and do not represent firm purchase commitments.
  • A $30 million, according to Powerus, strategic equity investment in Powerus by Unusual Machines, Inc. (NYSE American: UMAC), deepening the companies’ existing supply and manufacturing relationship.
  • An order placed by Powerus with Unusual Machines valued at more than $5 million, according to Powerus, for U.S.-made, NDAA-compliant components for counter-UAS systems and related drone platforms. This is a purchase by Powerus and does not represent Powerus revenue.
  • A memorandum of understanding with UAV software company Swarmer, Inc. (Nasdaq: SWMR) to explore the technical and operational feasibility of integrating Swarmer’s swarming and coordination software with the Powerus autonomous systems architecture. The collaboration is exploratory; a memorandum of understanding is not a definitive agreement and may not result in one.
  • The establishment of a dedicated Guardian counter-UAS manufacturing facility in the United Arab Emirates, through a multi-year partnership with a regional defense manufacturer. The arrangement does not guarantee any particular level of production, sales, or continuing relationship with the regional partner.
  • Designation by the U.S. Department of War as an industry participant supporting Falcon Peak 26.2, a U.S. Northern Command and Joint Interagency Task Force 401 counter-unmanned aircraft systems experiment at Yuma Proving Ground. Participation as an industry participant in an experiment does not constitute a procurement contract or a commitment to purchase.
  • A limited procurement order from the Ministry of Defence of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for unmanned aerial systems and associated support, and a strategic memorandum of understanding with senior Pakistani defense officials. No other terms of the order have been disclosed, and the memorandum of understanding is not a definitive agreement and may not result in one.

Now, that growth is coming directly to York County. Their new Rock Hill headquarters sits inside the Riverwalk Business Park near Interstate 77.

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