Trump Sons-Backed Aureus to Merge with Drone Maker Powerus in $1.2B Deal

Aureus, a defense technology firm with close ties to the Trump family, has entered into a definitive agreement to merge with Powerus, a privately held drone manufacturer specializing in tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) used by U.S. military units. The all-stock merger values the combined entity at $1.2 billion, with Powerus shareholders receiving 0.85 shares of the new company for each share held. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. The merger combines Aureus’s established defense contracting network and infrastructure with Powerus’s advanced drone platforms, including the recently fielded P-700 and P-900 series UAVs. These systems are currently deployed in U.S. Army and Marine Corps operations in the Indo-Pacific and European theaters. Powerus has delivered over 2,100 units since 2022, with annual revenue growing 47% year-over-year to $280 million in 2025. The combined company is projected to achieve $750 million in annual revenue by 2027, with gross margins expanding to 58% due to economies of scale and vertical integration of key components, including AI-driven navigation systems and modular payload bays. The new entity will be headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, and will list on the NYSE under the ticker MQT, with current shareholders of LMT and RTX expected to see modest ownership dilution. The transaction is anticipated to increase competition in the tactical drone space, potentially influencing procurement decisions across the Department of Defense. Defense contractors with similar capabilities, including Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin, may reassess their product roadmaps and investment strategies in response to the expanded scale of the new player.