{"id":"2df43ab2-a8e8-4fbc-a1b7-22b1581503fe","companyId":"bf4b4053-f086-4305-82bf-f11d193b1ec5","modelName":"Merops Interceptor","slug":"merops","description":"Perennial Autonomy is a defense technology company developing AI-enabled counter-drone systems, originally launched by former [Google](/companies/google) CEO Eric Schmidt as Project Eagle (formerly White Stork). Best known for the [Merops](/models/merops) interceptor drone, which has downed over 4,000 Russian Shahed drones in Ukraine since mid-2024, the company also produces the Bumblebee quadcopter and Hornet midrange strike drone. Its systems are deployed by U.S. forces in CENTCOM and by Ukrainian, Polish, and Lithuanian militaries.","formFactor":"aerial","industryVertical":"defense","environment":"airspace","maturityStage":"commercial","lifecycleState":"active","supersededByModelId":null,"specs":{"max_speed":"205 km/h","weight_kg":330},"manufacturerSerial":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","sources":[{"url":"https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2026/05/19/pentagon-inks-500-million-deal-with-perennial-autonomy-for-counter-drone-tech/","title":"Pentagon inks 500 million deal with Perennial Autonomy for counter-drone tech","sourceName":"Defense News"},{"url":"https://insideunmannedsystems.com/pentagon-deploys-merops-drone-interceptor-system-to-counter-iranian-shahed-threat/","title":"Merops Drone Interceptor","sourceName":"Inside Unmanned Systems"}],"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"low","reviewNote":null,"manufacturerTermForTeleop":null,"keyFacts":[{"label":"Founder","value":"Eric Schmidt (former Google CEO)"},{"label":"Pentagon contract","value":"$500M IDIQ (May 2026, 3-year)"},{"label":"Combat record","value":"4,000+ drones intercepted in Ukraine"},{"label":"Unit cost","value":"approximately $15,000 per Merops interceptor"},{"label":"Product family","value":"Merops (interceptor), Bumblebee (quadcopter), Hornet (strike drone)"},{"label":"Also known as","value":"Project Eagle, White Stork"},{"label":"CEO","value":"Mike Wior"},{"label":"Former names","value":"White Stork (2023), Project Eagle (2024)"},{"label":"Key contract","value":"$500M JIATF-401 IDIQ (May 2026)"},{"label":"Merops unit cost","value":"~$15,000 per interceptor"},{"label":"Bumblebee delivered","value":"tens of thousands to Ukrainian Armed Forces"}],"createdAt":"2026-07-06T04:59:51.632Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-15T13:23:22.439Z","unitsInFieldClaimed":null,"unitsInFieldVerified":null,"unitsManufacturedClaimed":null,"unitsManufacturedVerified":null,"unitsAsOf":null,"unitsSource":null,"salesModel":null,"priceUndisclosedSince":null,"autonomyClass":null,"autonomyStatement":null,"autonomyStatementSource":null,"demoForensics":null,"exportControlClass":null,"minCommitment":null,"warrantyTerms":null,"serviceModel":null,"productionRateClaimed":null,"productionRateEvidenced":null,"teleopRatioDisclosed":null,"interventionRateDisclosed":null,"jsonLd":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Product","@id":"https://registry.deploy.report/models/merops","url":"https://registry.deploy.report/models/merops","name":"Merops Interceptor","description":"Perennial Autonomy is a defense technology company developing AI-enabled counter-drone systems, originally launched by former [Google](/companies/google) CEO Eric Schmidt as Project Eagle (formerly White Stork). Best known for the [Merops](/models/merops) interceptor drone, which has downed over 4,000 Russian Shahed drones in Ukraine since mid-2024, the company also produces the Bumblebee quadcopter and Hornet midrange strike drone. Its systems are deployed by U.S. forces in CENTCOM and by Ukrainian, Polish, and Lithuanian militaries.","identifier":"2df43ab2-a8e8-4fbc-a1b7-22b1581503fe","category":"aerial","publisher":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"}},"framework_metadata":{"framework_schema_version":"0.1.0","verification_status":"verified","maturity_stage":"commercial","lifecycle_state":"active","architectural_position":{"cohort":"aerial","sub_cohorts":[]},"within_cohort_verified_vs_claimed_pair":null,"cap_flags":[],"verification_depth":{"sources_count":2,"primary_source_types":[]}}}