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There were two Gauntlet II mission-area winners, not one overall champion: Perennial Autonomy ranked first in deep strike, while Neros ranked first in close quarters battle. Neros also placed third in deep strike, giving it a top-five position in both reported leaderboards. The rankings do not establish a single overall winner.
Gauntlet II leaderboard: the top five in each mission
DefenseScoop reported these rankings for the August 2026 event:
| Deep strike | Close quarters battle |
|---|---|
| 1. Perennial Autonomy | 1. Neros |
| 2. Hyperscale | 2. ORQA US |
| 3. Neros | 3. XTEND Reality |
| 4. Skycutter | 4. Vector |
| 5. Swarm Defense Technologies | 5. ModalAI |
DefenseScoop’s Gauntlet II results report provides the detailed top-five lists. Challenging Defence Markets also notes Neros’s cross-category showing; its description of Neros as the clear winner is an interpretation of those rankings, not an official overall award.
What the contest tested
Drone Dominance is a phased U.S. Department of War procurement effort for small, low-cost drones. The program says it is sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of War and jointly administered by the Test Resource Management Center and Defense Innovation Unit. Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane holds contracting authority and issues prototype delivery orders based on Gauntlet results. Each phase pairs a challenge with delivery of production-quality systems for military operators to evaluate in mission scenarios. The official program overview describes its process and goals.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallGauntlet II took place at Fort Carson, Colorado, in August 2026. According to DefenseScoop, citing Defense Innovation Unit officials, it involved 1,858 sorties across 23 platforms from 19 companies. Officials called it “the Drone Dominance Program’s most demanding test to date,” as reported by the outlet.
#1 Best Overall
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The participant funnel began earlier at Camp Grayling, Michigan: the program’s participant page says 49 companies were invited to the Phase 2 qualifier, where approximately 79 unique drones were tested in deep strike and close quarters battle missions. Nineteen companies advanced to Gauntlet II. These figures describe the earlier qualifier and the later event, respectively; they are not competing counts of Gauntlet II entrants. The program’s participant page lists the funnel.
What the rankings do—and do not—mean for procurement
A first-place ranking identifies the leader in that mission area; it is not, by itself, proof that the company has received a production contract or a particular order size. DefenseScoop reported that the Department planned to purchase about 60,000 drones from the Gauntlet II vendor pool. That is a reported plan, not a statement that all units have been ordered or delivered.
Rank #2
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The Motley Fool names nine firms as eligible for production contracts, but its discussion of specific order amounts and awards attributes those claims to a separate Tectonic Defense report, and some amounts are described as expected. Eligibility, a leaderboard position, a planned purchase, and a confirmed award are different things. The sources do not establish a consistent vendor-by-vendor allocation or final purchase breakdown. No technical specification or unit-price comparison across the ranked companies is established by the results coverage.
How Gauntlet II fits the wider program
The program overview lists Gauntlet I in February 2026 and Gauntlet II in August 2026. As displayed on October 3, 2026, it estimated Gauntlet 2.5 for October, focused on a bomber-platform mission, with Gauntlets 3 and 4 planned roughly six months apart. The schedule is subject to change. The program also says it is not a down-select process: vendors not selected in an earlier phase may apply in future phases.
Rank #3
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The program overview says Drone Dominance intends to purchase more than 200,000 drones by 2027. This broader stated goal is separate from DefenseScoop’s report of a plan to purchase about 60,000 drones from the Gauntlet II vendor pool.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A reported performance comparison
DefenseScoop relayed an official comparison using different distance thresholds: each of the 11 platforms evaluated at long distance in Gauntlet II reached 15 km, while in Gauntlet I, 24% of drones managed to reach 10 km. The figures describe the reported distance results; the thresholds differ, so they should not be treated as a like-for-like comparison at the same range.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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Rank #4
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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