US Startup Expands Production of $5,000 Drone Interceptors in UAE to Counter Iranian Threats

Powerus, a Florida-based startup with ties to former US administration circles, has rapidly expanded production of its affordable drone interceptor, the Guardian, in the United Arab Emirates to counter Iranian drone threats, according to reports on August 23, 2026. The Guardian interceptor, priced at about $5,000, is designed to neutralize drones before they reach their targets, addressing the rising challenge of mass drone attacks in the ongoing conflict involving Iran. Powerus currently produces approximately 3,000 interceptors monthly at its UAE facility, aiming to scale up to 15,000 units per month by mid-2027, facilitated by a modular design with readily available components, as reported by The New York Times and Gulf News.

The company secured a $22.3 million contract to protect oil and gas infrastructure in the Middle East, reflecting growing demand for integrated counter-drone systems amid waves of Iranian drone and missile attacks in the region.

“This commercial contract reflects the direction we believe the counter-drone market is heading: toward integrated, networked protection of critical oil and gas infrastructure,” said Brett Velicovich, Co-founder and COO of Powerus. He added, “We are starting with the capabilities our customer needs today while providing an architecture that can expand as the threat and operational requirements evolve.”

Powerus's Guardian is based on Ukrainian drone interceptor technology effective against Russian and Iranian drones, boasting a top burst speed of 340 kph, a 15-kilometer range, and operational endurance of 28 minutes, according to the company. The system is intended to complement, not replace, more expensive missile defenses like Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3, which target ballistic missiles and larger threats.

International Institute for Strategic Studies research associate Albert Vidal emphasized the UAE's aim to develop sovereign defense capabilities by assembling interceptors locally, while continuing to procure from various suppliers. “The reaction in the UAE is: ‘We’re going to continue buying as much as we can from the US, but we will also buy from other players, and we are also going to produce stuff at home,’” Vidal said. Powerus has also partnered with a defense company in India to broaden manufacturing, departing from traditional defense industry models by using commercially available parts and faster production methods.

The increased demand for affordable interceptors highlights a strategic shift in defense: using cheaper weapons against mass-produced drones to preserve costly interceptors for high-end threats, as detailed by Gulf News.

Former Trump administration adviser Keith Kellogg joined Powerus’s advisory board, and the company has secured contracts worth up to $90 million with the US Air Force, indicating strong government interest amid the ongoing conflict. Experts caution that while low-cost interceptors like Guardian address drone threats, they cannot substitute for advanced missile defenses necessary for countering ballistic missiles and evolving drone technologies employed by Iran.