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SpaceX, xAI enter Pentagon drone swarm technology contest

Kagi News | 2026-02-16 18:24 UTC | source

🛰️ SpaceX and Elon Musk’s AI company xAI are competing in a secretive Pentagon contest to produce voice-controlled, autonomous “swarming” drone technology, according to people familiar with the matter 123. Public details on the program’s scope or budget are limited 1.

The Pentagon building in Arlington, Virginia.
The Pentagon building in Arlington, Virginia. — bloomberg.com

Sources

  1. SpaceX to Compete in Pentagon Contest for Autonomous Drone Tech [bloomberg.com] (2026-02-16)
  2. SpaceX to compete in Pentagon contest for autonomous drone tech - report [seekingalpha.com] (2026-02-17)
  3. SpaceX to compete in Pentagon contest for autonomous drone tech, Bloomberg News reports - Reuters [google.com] (2026-02-16)

Highlights

  1. Ownership detail: Bloomberg describes xAI as a wholly owned subsidiary of SpaceX in this effort 1.
  2. Natural-language control: The “voice-controlled” requirement implies a command interface oriented around spoken instructions rather than traditional operator controls when directing multiple systems 12.
  3. Financial unknowns: The reporting does not disclose potential award size or contract structure, leaving the commercial impact unclear 1.