"Completing this transaction puts Powerus in a position to build at the scale our customers are asking for," Powerus CEO Andrew Fox said in a news release, adding that "Our focus does not change on October 1. The work is the same work."
Powerus completes merger with Aureus Greenway Holdings
On October 1, 2026, Powerus, a U.S.-based drone company founded in October 2025, became publicly traded after completing a merger with a subsidiary of Aureus Greenway Holdings Inc. (AGH). AGH — a publicly traded holding company backed by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump through their stake in American Ventures — said in a news release that Powerus will continue as the "surviving entity" and that AGH will adopt Powerus's name.
Pentagon buys 1,500 FPV drones; Air Force holds IDIQ for Guardian-2
Since its founding last year, Powerus has quickly accumulated U.S. Defense Department business. The Defense Department placed a $2.5 million purchase order for 1,500 first-person view (FPV) drones. Separately, the company holds an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract with the Air Force for its Guardian-2 counter-drone interceptor. That IDIQ is a contract vehicle that lets the service place orders as needed and carries a ceiling value of up to $90 million if all options are executed.
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See what we buildInternational contracts: Pakistan procurement and UAE production site
Powerus has also pursued foreign sales. The company booked a "limited procurement order" for drones from Pakistan and is establishing a production site for its Guardian counter-drone system with a local manufacturer in the United Arab Emirates. These moves signal Powerus's early intention to combine sales to U.S. defense customers with overseas partnerships and manufacturing arrangements.
Congressional scrutiny: Senators Warren and Blumenthal raise concerns; surtax legislation cited Powerus
Powerus's ties to the Trump family prompted public scrutiny from congressional Democrats. In March, Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth saying, "The involvement of the President’s children cast a cloud of corruption and conflict of interest over any DoD contracts that this company may receive." Senator Blumenthal later identified Powerus's Defense Department contracts as one underpinning reason for legislation he introduced in September that would impose a 100 percent surtax on income earned by a company owned or controlled by the president or his family members.
What this means for the Pentagon, the Air Force, and international partners
- Pentagon: The $2.5 million, 1,500-drone purchase order puts Powerus on contract fulfillment timelines and places an emphasis on the company's ability to scale production quickly, a point Powerus highlighted in its CEO's remarks.
- Air Force: The IDIQ for the Guardian-2 interceptor gives the service flexibility to order counter-drone systems up to a $90 million ceiling; the service will effectively be watching option-exercise decisions and delivery performance tied to that vehicle.
- Pakistan and UAE partners: The "limited procurement order" from Pakistan and the UAE production-site arrangement indicate early international market traction and an interest in local manufacturing partnerships for the Guardian counter-drone system.
Powerus describes its founding purpose as bringing "battle-tested Ukrainian drone technologies to the United States." Company leaders have pushed back on claims of improper influence: co-founder Brett Velicovich told The Associated Press in March, "Our focus at the company has nothing to do with politics." Yet the combination of rapid contracting, international deals, and ownership ties cited in public filings and letters means Powerus will operate under close observation from both acquisition officials and lawmakers.
As Powerus enters the public markets under the name formerly held by AGH, the company has pledged to scale production. The central questions left in the public record are concrete: can Powerus execute deliveries tied to the $2.5 million order and any future Air Force options; will its UAE production site move from announcement to manufacture; and how will congressional oversight and proposed tax legislation affect the firm's commercial and government relationships?
Source: https://breakingdefense.com/2026/10/dronemaker-powerus-backed-by-trump-brothers-goes-public/
