PDW has secured its third major contract with the US Army, a $20.9-million deal to supply C100 quadcopter drones and their Multi-Mission Payloads. The acquisition falls under the Army’s Transformation in Contact (TiC) program, which focuses on rapidly fielding promising commercial technologies through real-world testing and evaluation.
The C100 quadcopter is designed as a small, modular reconnaissance system that can be quickly adapted for a range of missions. Its advanced payload suite enables drones to function in GPS-denied zones, extend communications links beyond line of sight, and perform signals intelligence and electronic warfare operations. These features significantly expand the tactical flexibility available to frontline units.
Under this new contract, C100s will be distributed to the 18th Airborne Corps and US Army Special Operations Command. Previous awards saw the systems deployed to seven PM UAS units for testing and to operational theaters across the Indo-Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East, where they demonstrated their value in diverse environments.
The Army is simultaneously pushing a broad modernization drive for small drones. This includes the January 2024 launch of a Skydio RQ-28A replacement program, aimed at introducing platforms with improved autonomy and resilience in electronic warfare conditions. By November 2024, the Army began fielding Teal quadcopters to enhance reconnaissance in complex terrain, and in May 2025, it received its first X10D drones, larger unmanned systems intended to complement smaller quadcopters by offering longer range and higher payload capacity.
