The U.S. Army has requested Fiscal Year 2026 funding for small uncrewed aircraft systems (sUAS, commonly referred to as drones). These systems support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR); target acquisition and strike; electronic warfare operations; and other missions.
Congress has expressed an interest in the U.S. military’s UAS capabilities and in the Department of Defense’s (DOD’s) ability to develop, acquire, and integrate such systems into tactical units. In proposed FY 2026 defense authorization and appropriations legislation, Congress is considering whether to approve, modify or deny the Army’s requested funding and its plans for incorporating these systems into Army units.
This product primarily covers Group 1 and 2 UAS — that is, those sUAS that weigh less than 55 pounds and fly at or below 3,500 feet above ground level.
Current programs:
Soldier-Borne Sensor (SBS). The SBS program is meant to provide Army squads with a small UAS for
conducting reconnaissance. The Army’s requirements for an SBS are for an aircraft that weighs less than 0.33 pounds and can fly for at least 15 minutes. The Army’s current selection for the SBS program is the Teledyne FLIR Black Hornet. The Army fielded the first SBS systems in FY2019.
Purpose Built Attritable System (PBAS). The PBAS program is meant to provide a first-person view (FPV) drone capability for Army platoons. According to the Army, the PBAS system consists of “two [10 inch] air vehicles and four [5 inch] air vehicles with modularpayload(s) to include ability to integrate and employ a variety of lethal/non-lethal armaments and munitions.”
Short-Range Reconnaissance (SRR). The SRR program is the Army’s first program of record for a small quadcopter drone for Army platoons. The Army’s requirements are for a drone that weighs less than five pounds and is able to fly for 30 minutes. The Army’s current selections for the SRR system are the Skydio X10D and the Teal Drones’ Black Widow.
Medium-Range Reconnaissance (MRR). The MRR system is meant to provide Army companies with an sUAS that has a range of at least 10 kilometers (6 miles) and an endurance of 30 minutes. In its FY2026 budget proposal, the Army requested funds to procure 107 “Company-Level sUAS” systems, which the Army has said are intended to provide an initial capability for a future MRR system. In 2024, the Army selected two companies—Anduril Industries and Performance Drone Works—to each supply aircraft for the Company-Level sUAS as part of DOD’s Replicator initiative.
Long-Range Reconnaissance (LRR). The LRR sUAS is meant to provide Army battalions with an sUAS. The Army is seeking an aircraft with a “weight of less than 55 [pounds], a range of 40-60 [kilometers] and endurance of 5-10 hours.” The Army plans to field prototypes of an LRR system to TiC units in FY2025, according to one official’s congressional testimony.
Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply System (JTAARS). The JTAARS is meant to provide a cargo delivery system for “highly mobile tactical combat forces,” according to the Army. The Army is seeking a Group 3 UAS—that is, an aircraft that weighs between 55 and 1,350 pounds—capable of lifting 125 pounds over a distance of 13 kilometers one way (8 miles).