# Department of War Awards Rownd $10M Drone Contract

The Department of War has reportedly awarded Rownd a **$10 million** contract to advance low-cost autonomous military drones with onboard AI and swarm-coordination capabilities. Rownd plans to add 22 jobs in North Carolina and Wisconsin and open a drone R&D center in Richfield, Wisconsin, on October 27, 2026 (12 days from today). A recent Air Force exercise provides a technical-validation signal for the company’s autonomy and model-update approach, though it does not establish a separate award.

- The contract points to demand for low-cost unmanned systems, onboard AI, and coordinated autonomous operations; defense suppliers with relevant components or integration capabilities may find opportunities to support this market.
- Contractors developing military autonomy can assess how Rownd’s reported award and Air Force exercise affect the competitive landscape for drone development and testing.
- Rownd’s planned R&D center opening in Richfield on October 27 and hiring across Wisconsin and North Carolina indicate near-term expansion of its engineering footprint.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military, Information Technology
**Topics:** Artificial Intelligence
**Published:** October 15, 2026

### Government Entities
- Department of War
- United States Air Force (USAF)

### Vendors
- Rownd (awardee)

### Sources
- [Rownd lands $10 million defense contract to advance autonomous drones: https://t.co/pKPo4NoPOR https://t.co/UyoMsqgeir](https://x.com/droneslanding/status/2110622312265334866) - twitter-defense