Oregon UAS Accelerator Selects 34 Companies for Largest-Ever Oregon UAS Innovation Challenge Cohort
Oregon UAS Innovation Challenge: the future of uncrewed systems is getting a massive upgrade with 34 companies joining the January 2026 cohort.
The Oregon UAS Accelerator is hosting the Proven in Pendleton cUAS Challenge. A pitch competition offering a $100,000 grand prize to the top counter UAS innovation presented.
The Oregon UAS Innovation Challenge cohort adds 34 uncrewed systems and autonomy startups, cementing Oregon’s role as a hub for advanced aviation.
These companies aren’t concepts confined to a slide deck. They’re building, deploying & testing real systems in real environments while giving funders & partners access to uncrewed systems deal flow.”
PENDELTON, OR, UNITED STATES, December 23, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Oregon UAS Accelerator today announced that 34 companies have been selected for its third cohort as part of the Oregon UAS Innovation Challenge, marking the largest and most ambitious cohort in the program’s history. The new cohort brings together uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), robotics, and autonomous technology startups from Oregon, across North America, and South Korea, further establishing Pendleton and Eastern Oregon as a hub for advanced aviation and autonomous systems.— Joseph Wyno, Executive Director, Oregon UAS Accelerator
“These companies aren’t concepts confined to a slide deck. They’re building, deploying, and testing real systems in real environments,” said Joseph Wyno, Executive Director of the Oregon UAS Accelerator. “Our investor events give funders and strategic partners direct access to high-quality uncrewed systems deal flow across aerial, ground, and maritime domains, including live demonstrations, facility tours, and meaningful time with founders who are focused on execution, not theory.”
The 34 selected companies span eight major industry verticals, including defense and counter‑UAS, logistics and delivery, agriculture and environmental, advanced air mobility, public safety and emergency response, infrastructure and construction, maritime and autonomous systems, and manufacturing and components. Collectively, these startups are advancing capabilities in areas such as national security, medical logistics, wildfire response, ecological restoration, and industrial inspection.
“Our goal with Cohort 3 was to bring in companies that not only have compelling technology, but also a clear path to real customers and real impact,” said Chris Ponzillo, director of operations and expansion at the Oregon UAS Accelerator. “From maritime deterrence and counter‑UAS to wildfire mapping and medical logistics, this group represents some of the most practical and urgent applications in the UAS space.”
Oregon UAS Innovation Challenge – Cohort 3 Roster
The Oregon UAS Innovation Challenge Cohort 3 includes the following companies:
AeroBond Secure Systems (Oregon, USA) – NDAA‑compliant ground control systems for UAS operators.
Aghawk Dynamics (Washington, USA) – U.S.-manufactured agricultural UAS platforms and services.
AIRSHIP Technologies Group (Oregon, USA) – Counter‑UAS and long-endurance UAV systems.
American Tenet (Indiana, USA) – Thermal‑soaring, long‑endurance ISR aircraft.
Aurora Air (Washington, USA) – Hybrid propulsion for heavy‑lift and long‑range drones.
BuzzCare (Minnesota, USA) – Drone‑enabled medical delivery for rural and frontier healthcare.
Davis Consulting LLC (Oregon, USA) – Hybrid drone/ground vehicle solutions for public safety.
DIFly (Oregon, USA) – Stereo‑vision systems for improved FPV and autonomous navigation.
DRONE CMD, LLC (Oregon, USA) – Distributed operating system for multi‑asset UAS and robotics fleets.
Droning On LLC (Oregon, USA) – Aerial seeding and ecological restoration via custom UAS.
EIVIE Corp. (Oregon, USA) – Circular‑wing VTOL aircraft for rescue and evacuation missions.
Ether Form Inc (Oregon, USA) – Long‑endurance surveillance and special‑mission platforms.
Flyupav (California, USA) – Hybrid air/ground delivery platforms for last‑mile logistics.
FlyX Technologies Inc. (California, USA) – Mid‑flight powerline charging for extended UAS operations.
Ganaio, Inc. (California, USA) – Regenerative damper technologies for unmanned ground systems.
GlowSens, LLC (California, USA) – Counter‑UAS solutions using luminescent tracers and AI control.
Haast Autonomous (Texas, USA) – Heavy‑lift VTOL aircraft for logistics and disaster response.
Half Rock Avionics (Oregon, USA) – UAS integration, avionics, and services.
HumanKind Homes (Oregon, USA) – Drone‑swarm‑enabled construction and automated building systems.
Krishibotics LLC (Oregon, USA) – Agricultural robotics and autonomous field systems.
Lorica Technologies (Oregon, USA) – Maritime security and deterrence via Drone‑Augmented Autonomous Deterrence (DAAD).
MAV Unlimited, Inc. (Oregon, USA) – Volumetric 3D printing for airframes and components.
Narma US, Inc (Texas, USA) – Dual tilt‑rotor UAS for medical and critical logistics.
Nefeli Air Inc. (Wyoming, USA) – AI‑powered passive counter‑UAS detection and response.
Nimbus Aerospace Co. (Washington, USA) – Hybrid‑electric eVTOL for regional air mobility.
Oregon UAV, LLC (Oregon, USA) – High‑performance STOL autonomous fixed‑wing platforms.
Osprey cUAS (Oregon, USA) – Passive RF counter‑UAS detection solutions.
Outcome Group (California, USA) – Fixed‑wing VTOL with onboard compute for ISR and logistics.
Outer Rim Exploration (Delaware, USA) – Muon‑based sensing for mineral exploration and geophysics.
Pachyderm Industries (Washington, USA) – Heavy‑lift UAS for industrial and logistics operations.
ParaUAS LLC (Oregon, USA) – VTOL platforms for construction, survey, and industrial inspection.
PrairieSchooner Inc. (Seongnam, South Korea) – AI Command and Control Platform for UAS Operations..
Rogue Reconnaissance (Oregon, USA) – UAS‑enabled wildfire and incident mapping platform.
SeaStereo, Inc (Oregon, USA) – Autonomous maritime systems and sensing platforms.
About Oregon UAS Accelerator
The Oregon UAS Accelerator is a leading program dedicated to advancing innovation in uncrewed aerial, ground, and maritime systems innovation and integration. Through strategic partnerships, cutting‑edge resources, and expert mentorship, the accelerator empowers startups to transform groundbreaking ideas into market‑ready solutions, driving the future of uncrewed systems technology.
Since 2023, the accelerator has helped founders validate their technology, build scalable businesses, and integrate into Oregon’s growing unmanned systems ecosystem. The program is a state and federally designated nonprofit 501(c)(3).
For more information and cohort profiles, visit https://oregonuas.org/cohort26.
Chris Ponzillo
Oregon UAS Accelerator
+1 714-614-2646
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