Powerus Scales Inexpensive Drone Interceptors in the UAE to Counter Iranian Threat

U.S. defense startup Powerus has begun manufacturing its “Guardian” drone interceptor in a United Arab Emirates (UAE) facility. The move follows a $22.3 million contract to protect oil and gas infrastructure in the Middle East. The Guardian, priced at about $5,000 per unit, is designed to knock down small Iranian drones and is based on a Ukrainian interceptor that proved effective against Russian Shahed drones. Production at the UAE site currently reaches roughly 30 interceptors per day, with plans to scale to 100 per day and achieve 15,000 units per month worldwide by mid-2027.

Semafor

Since the war that began in February, the Emirates have endured more than 500 ballistic missiles and over 2,200 Iranian drones, resulting in at least 15 deaths, hundreds of injuries, the shutdown of an oil refinery, and the destruction of two Amazon data centers. Dwindling U.S. stockpiles of expensive interceptors have spurred Gulf states to seek local manufacturing to maintain defensive capability.

New York Times

Powerus reports a monthly output of 3,000 interceptors from its UAE operation, with a target of 15,000 per month by 2027. The Guardian’s specifications include a top “burst” speed of 340 kph (? 200 mph), a cruise speed of 160 kph, a 15-kilometer range, and 28 minutes of endurance. While the system can engage swarms of small drones, it cannot counter larger ballistic missiles, which remain the domain of higher-cost solutions such as Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3.

The Jerusalem Post

International Institute for Strategic Studies research associate Albert Vidal noted that the UAE’s push to assemble interceptors locally aims to establish “sovereign capability” after facing thousands of Iranian attacks.

The Jerusalem Post

• “This commercial contract reflects the direction we believe the counter-drone market is heading: toward integrated, networked protection of critical oil and gas infrastructure,” — company

The Jerusalem Post