Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401) has awarded a $5.2 million agreement to Perennial Autonomy for its Bumblebee V2 counter-drone system, providing U.S. forces with a low-cost, low-collateral kinetic interceptor to defeat illicit drones at home and abroad.
The award was made Jan. 30, with deliveries beginning in March.
Bumblebee V2 is a next-generation first-person-view multirotor drone designed to physically intercept and neutralize hostile small unmanned aircraft systems through a drone-on-drone collision, rendering both aircraft inoperable. This approach offers a precise countermeasure that minimizes collateral damage, helping protect troops and critical infrastructure.
“This decision puts kinetic counter-small UAS capability into the hands of our troops immediately,” said Army Brig. Gen. Matthew Ross, JIATF-401 director. “Bumblebee V2 provides a cost-effective, reliable interceptor that can neutralize threats without endangering our forces or surrounding infrastructure. On today’s battlefield, where drones are a constant threat, a low-collateral kinetic option is increasingly essential.”
The Army’s Global Response Force will operationally assess Bumblebee V2 in support of the Lt. Gen. James M. Gavin Joint Innovation Outpost, ensuring the system meets the demands of rapidly deployable units and accelerating delivery of advanced technology to warfighters.
“Bumblebee V2 is fully NDAA-compliant and uses advanced software to identify, track and collide with hostile drones,” said Army Maj. Cole Price, JIATF-401 assistant capability manager. “This gives our forces a critical tool to counter the growing threat of autonomous systems.”
Photo: Soldiers assigned to various U.S. Army Europe and Africa units prepare for an initial familiarization flight using a Bumblebee quadcopter as part of a training exercise in Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Jan 28. 2026. Army Spc. Adrian Greenwood
Source: U.S. Department of War