# Neros > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Neros > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Neros.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neros > Source revision: 1329927263 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Neros Technologies** is an American defense technology company headquartered in [El Segundo, California](/source/El_Segundo,_California). Established in 2023 by former professional [drone racers](/source/Drone_racing) Soren Monroe-Anderson and Olaf Hichwa, the company specializes in the design and manufacture of low-cost, expendable [unmanned aerial vehicles](/source/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle) (UAVs) for military applications.[1] Its "Archer" drone is a mass-producible system designed to operate without reliance on [supply chains](/source/Supply_chain) from China.[2] ## History Neros was founded in 2023 by Soren Monroe-Anderson and Olaf Hichwa, who met in 2017 at a drone racing competition in [Muncie, Indiana](/source/Muncie,_Indiana).[1] Monroe-Anderson, a prominent drone racer, and Hichwa, a designer of custom circuit boards for racing drones, were motivated to start the company following the [Russian invasion of Ukraine](/source/Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine).[1] Initially operating out of a garage, the founders began by building drones for Ukrainian forces using components sourced from China, personally delivering them to [Kyiv](/source/Kyiv) in late 2023.[1] In order to address the strategic vulnerability of relying on Chinese supply chains, the pair moved operations to El Segundo, California, to develop a fully American-made drone platform. Now part of an aerospace and hard-tech industry hub locally known as "Gundo",[3][1] the company attracted significant [venture capital](/source/Venture_capital) investment, raising approximately $121 million by late 2025 from firms including [Sequoia Capital](/source/Sequoia_Capital) and [Founders Fund](/source/Founders_Fund).[1][3] ## Products The company's primary product is the Archer, a small, quadcopter-style [first-person view (FPV)](/source/First-person_view_(radio_control)) drone designed for [asymmetric warfare](/source/Asymmetric_warfare).[2] The Archer is an 8 in (200 mm) quadcopter capable of carrying a 4.5 lb (2.0 kg) payload with a range exceeding 12 mi (19 km).[2] Unlike commercial drones like those made by [DJI](/source/DJI), which are often easy to fly but reliant on foreign components, the Archer is designed to be "attritable" (expendable) and resistant to electronic jamming.[1][2] The drone utilizes low-cost, non-military grade chips, such as those used in parking meters, to keep production costs low while avoiding Chinese supply chains.[1] ## Operations Neros operates a manufacturing facility in the Smoky Hollow district of El Segundo, California, where it produces drones using manual assembly lines.[3][1] As of late 2025, production rates were scaling rapidly: while *The New York Times* reported a monthly production of 2,000 units in November 2025, *The Economist* reported in December 2025 that output had reached around 2,000 drones per day.[1][3] The company's workforce of some 80 employees includes former engineers from major aerospace and defense firms such as [SpaceX](/source/SpaceX), [Palantir Technologies](/source/Palantir_Technologies), and [Anduril Industries](/source/Anduril_Industries).[1][3] The company emphasizes "hard-tech" manufacturing, distancing itself from the software-centric culture of [Silicon Valley](/source/Silicon_Valley).[3] Neros vertically integrates much of its production to ensure compliance with U.S. Department of Defense supply chain requirements, which prohibit Chinese components in critical defense systems.[2] ## Contracts and deployments Neros has secured several contracts with U.S. and international defense agencies. The U.S. Army selected Neros as a vendor for the "Purpose-Built Attritable Systems" program, aiming to supply low-cost drones.[1] The U.S. Marine Corps awarded Neros a $17 million contract to supply thousands of drones.[1] In Ukraine, Neros concluded a contract with the International Drone Coalition to supply 6,000 drones for use in the ongoing war with Russia.[1] In December 2024, Neros was placed on a sanctions list by the Chinese government, a designation the company described as a "badge of honor."[2] ## References 1. Stockman, Farah (10 November 2025). ["The 20-Somethings Who Raised $121 Million to Build Military Drones"](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/business/neros-military-drones.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)* 1. Albon, Courtney (3 July 2025). ["‘Made-in-America’ drone maker Neros awaits its big Pentagon break"](https://www.defensenews.com/air/2025/07/03/made-in-america-drone-maker-neros-awaits-its-big-pentagon-break/). *[Defense News](/source/Defense_News)* 1. ["America’s fight back against China starts in Los Angeles—in flip-flops"](https://www.economist.com/christmas-specials/2025/12/18/americas-fight-back-against-china-starts-in-los-angeles-in-flip-flops). *[The Economist](/source/The_Economist)*. 18 December 2025. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Neros](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neros) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neros?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.