SpaceX Enters Drone Swarm Race with Pentagon Bid

SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, along with its AI-focused subsidiary xAI, has officially entered a competitive Pentagon bid to develop autonomous drone swarm technology.

According to Bloomberg, the move marks a significant and potentially controversial expansion into AI-powered weapons systems. Musk’s companies are among a select group chosen to compete for the $100 million contract announced in January, aimed at creating advanced drone swarm technology.

The six-month project will develop software capable of translating voice commands into digital instructions, allowing multiple drones to operate together. While the drones can fly simultaneously, programming them to move autonomously over land and sea and target specific objectives remains a major challenge.

The development plan is divided into five phases, starting with software creation and culminating in practical field testing.

xAI has also launched a major recruitment drive to hire engineers for collaboration with federal contractors. The company seeks software engineers experienced with government agencies, the US Department of Defense, or federal contractors in AI, software, or data projects, with hiring expected to complete within a week.

Although SpaceX has long supported defense initiatives, its focus has primarily been on reusable rockets, satellites for space exploration, military communications, and intelligence systems, rather than offensive weapon software.

SpaceX, alongside Boeing and Lockheed Martin, remains one of the key providers of rockets for launching some of the Pentagon’s most sensitive satellites.