The top military drone companies for 2027 are General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for MQ-9 and collaborative combat aircraft, Northrop Grumman for high-altitude surveillance, AeroVironment for small drones and loitering munitions, Anduril for autonomous systems and the Fury aircraft, and Shield AI for the V-BAT and AI pilots. Kratos, Baykar, Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries and Quantum Systems round out the list.
Military drones now range from hand-launched quadcopters to jet-powered aircraft that fly alongside fighters. The war in Ukraine, the US Replicator and drone dominance initiatives, and the Air Force collaborative combat aircraft program have all pushed spending up and opened room for newer companies next to the traditional primes. This list covers the companies that build complete military drone systems at scale, in the US and among allies.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems builds the MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian, the most widely exported large military drones in the West.
It was one of the first two companies picked for the Air Force collaborative combat aircraft program with its YFQ-42A, which puts it at the front of the shift toward uncrewed wingmen.
2. Northrop Grumman — High-Altitude Endurance At Strategic Scale
Northrop Grumman builds the RQ-4 Global Hawk and the MQ-4C Triton, long-endurance drones used for wide-area surveillance by the US Air Force, US Navy and NATO.
It also builds the MQ-8 Fire Scout and supplies systems integration for large classified and uncrewed programs.
3. AeroVironment — Switchblade, Puma And The Small Drone Backbone
AeroVironment supplies the Puma, Raven and JUMP 20 reconnaissance drones and the Switchblade 300 and 600 loitering munitions to the US Army, Marine Corps and many allies.
Its 2025 purchase of BlueHalo added counter-drone and electronic warfare products, so it now covers both sides of the drone fight.
Anduril builds the Fury (YFQ-44A) collaborative combat aircraft, the Ghost-X and Bolt drones, the Altius family and the Roadrunner interceptor, all tied together by its Lattice software.
It sells on fixed-price terms and builds quickly, and its Arsenal-1 plant in Ohio is designed for mass production of autonomous systems.
Shield AI makes the V-BAT, a vertical take-off fixed-wing drone that has flown in Ukraine and with the US Coast Guard and Navy, and Hivemind, AI pilot software for flying in jammed environments.
It also licenses Hivemind to other aircraft makers, which gives it a role in collaborative combat aircraft and other autonomy programs.
6. Kratos Defense — Affordable Jet Drones Built In Volume
Kratos builds the XQ-58 Valkyrie, a low-cost jet drone tested by the Air Force and selected by the Marine Corps, and supplies aerial target drones to the US military.
Its focus on affordable, attritable jet aircraft makes it a key name for buyers who want many capable drones instead of a few expensive ones.
Israel Aerospace Industries builds the Heron family of medium-altitude drones and the Harop and Harpy loitering munitions used by militaries worldwide.
It has decades of combat experience with uncrewed aircraft and remains one of the largest drone exporters.
10. Quantum Systems — Europe’s Fastest-Growing Reconnaissance Drone Maker
Quantum Systems builds the Vector and Trinity fixed-wing VTOL drones and the Twister, used for reconnaissance by the German armed forces, Ukraine and other allies.
It has opened production in Ukraine, Australia and the US, which suits buyers who want European design with local supply.
How We Chose These Companies
We focused on companies that build complete military drone systems and weighed:
Fielded systems and combat use
Major programs of record and export sales
Production scale and supply chain
Range of drone classes covered, from small tactical to jet-powered
Momentum in new programs such as collaborative combat aircraft and attritable drones
How To Evaluate A Military Drone Company
Which drone class do you need?
Group 1 and 2 small drones, Group 3 tactical drones, MALE aircraft and jet-powered collaborative aircraft are different markets with different suppliers. Most companies lead in one or two classes.
Is the system already fielded?
Programs of record, combat use and export sales are the strongest evidence that a drone works and will be supported for years.
Can it be produced at the volume you need?
Attritable drones and loitering munitions are bought in large numbers, so factory capacity and supply chain matter as much as performance.
How open is the software?
Systems that integrate with common command and control software, payloads and data links are easier to combine with existing forces.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who makes the most military drones?
By volume of small drones and loitering munitions, AeroVironment and newer firms such as Neros and Anduril lead in the US, while Baykar is the most active exporter of armed drones. General Atomics leads among large Western military drones.
What is a collaborative combat aircraft?
A collaborative combat aircraft is a jet-powered drone designed to fly alongside crewed fighters, carrying sensors, weapons or decoys. General Atomics and Anduril were picked for the first increment of the US Air Force program.
What is a loitering munition?
A loitering munition is a drone that can circle over an area, find a target and strike it. AeroVironment’s Switchblade and IAI’s Harop are well-known examples.
What does MALE mean?
MALE stands for medium-altitude long-endurance. These drones, such as the MQ-9 Reaper and Heron, fly for a day or more at medium altitude for surveillance and strike missions.
Are startups replacing the traditional defense primes?
Not replacing, but competing. Anduril, Shield AI and Neros now win programs once reserved for large primes, while primes such as Northrop Grumman and General Atomics still lead in large aircraft.
Conclusion
General Atomics and Northrop Grumman lead in large drones, AeroVironment dominates small drones and loitering munitions, and Anduril, Shield AI and Kratos are driving the move to autonomous and affordable jet aircraft. Baykar, Elbit, IAI and Quantum Systems are the strongest choices outside the US.
