{"id":"0d42c1a6-9d65-48d2-8cc3-4fa05bc8d44b","modelId":"2df43ab2-a8e8-4fbc-a1b7-22b1581503fe","versionId":null,"locationId":"7bc08a31-4d9a-48bc-86fc-f2114789d4b5","operatorId":null,"ownerId":null,"slug":"merops-ukraine","status":"operational","firstSeen":"2024-06-01T00:00:00.000Z","statusChangeReason":null,"sourceQualityTier":null,"manufacturerSerial":null,"reviewStatus":"unreviewed","sources":[{"url":"https://defensescoop.com/2026/05/19/pentagon-awards-500-million-contract-to-perennial-autonomy-for-counter-drone-systems/","label":"Pentagon awards $500M contract","title":"Pentagon awards $500M contract","mediaType":"article","sourceName":"DefenseScoop","publishedAt":"2024-06-01"},{"url":"https://insideunmannedsystems.com/pentagon-awards-500m-to-perennial-autonomy-for-counter-drone-interceptors-proven-in-ukraine/","label":"Pentagon Awards $500M to Perennial Autonomy for Counter-Drone Interceptors Proven in Ukraine","title":"Pentagon Awards $500M to Perennial Autonomy for Counter-Drone Interceptors Proven in Ukraine","mediaType":"article","sourceName":"Inside Unmanned Systems","publishedAt":"2024-06-01"}],"notes":"Merops interceptors deployed in Ukraine since mid-2024, downing 4,000+ Russian drones including Shahed-type one-way attack drones.","keyFacts":[],"reviewNote":null,"exposureHours":null,"exposureBasis":null,"customerSegment":null,"scaleTier":null,"contractValueUsd":null,"contractValueBasis":null,"customerCompanyId":null,"customerExternalName":null,"createdAt":"2026-07-06T05:04:53.040Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-06T05:05:07.471Z","model":{"id":"2df43ab2-a8e8-4fbc-a1b7-22b1581503fe","companyId":"bf4b4053-f086-4305-82bf-f11d193b1ec5","modelName":"Merops Interceptor","slug":"merops","description":"","formFactor":"defense","maturityStage":"commercial","lifecycleState":"active","supersededByModelId":null,"specs":{},"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"}],"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"low","reviewNote":null,"manufacturerTermForTeleop":null,"keyFacts":[],"createdAt":"2026-07-06T04:59:51.632Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-06T05:05:18.700Z","company":{"id":"bf4b4053-f086-4305-82bf-f11d193b1ec5","name":"Perennial Autonomy","slug":"perennial-autonomy","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.","status":null,"founded":2023,"hq":"California, USA","fundingTotal":"505200000","type":"hardware","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"}],"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"}],"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"low","reviewNote":null,"atsProvider":null,"atsSlug":null,"createdAt":"2026-07-06T04:59:51.233Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-06T05:05:38.485Z"}},"version":null,"location":{"id":"7bc08a31-4d9a-48bc-86fc-f2114789d4b5","name":"Ukraine","slug":"ukraine","kind":"country","parentLocationId":null,"region":null,"lat":48.3794,"lng":31.1656,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","aliases":["UA"],"collisionRisk":"high","reviewNote":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-31T04:22:20.140Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-04T13:32:31.212Z"},"operator":null,"owner":null,"derived":{"trustTier":"unverified","currentPosture":null},"jsonLd":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Event","@id":"https://registry.deploy.report/deployments/merops-ukraine","url":"https://registry.deploy.report/deployments/merops-ukraine","name":"Merops Interceptor at Ukraine","identifier":"0d42c1a6-9d65-48d2-8cc3-4fa05bc8d44b","startDate":"2024-06-01T00:00:00.000Z","location":{"@type":"Place","@id":"https://registry.deploy.report/locations/ukraine","name":"Ukraine"},"organizer":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://registry.deploy.report/companies/perennial-autonomy","name":"Perennial Autonomy"},"about":{"@type":"Product","@id":"https://registry.deploy.report/models/merops","name":"Merops Interceptor"},"publisher":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"}},"framework_metadata":{"framework_schema_version":"0.1.0","verification_status":"unreviewed","maturity_stage":"commercial","lifecycle_state":"active","architectural_position":{"cohort":"defense","sub_cohorts":[]},"within_cohort_verified_vs_claimed_pair":null,"cap_flags":[],"verification_depth":{"sources_count":2,"primary_source_types":[]}}}