Introduction In November 2025, no serious conversation about military power can avoid aerial systems. They are not an add-on capability—they are the primary means by which modern forces see, decide, and act at range while keeping people out of the kill chain. From platoon-level reconnaissance to theater-wide suppression of enemy air defenses, aerial systems have become the decisive instrument of conflict. Firestorm Labs, the San Diego-based defense company founded in 2022, ha

Introduction Unmanned aerial systems  (UAS) have become the linchpin of modern military strategy, delivering capabilities that were once the domain of science fiction. From persistent surveillance to autonomous strikes and contested logistics, UAS enable forces to dominate the battlespace with precision and minimal risk. Firestorm Labs, a San Diego-based defense technology startup, is leading this revolution with a mission to “democratize the fight.” By leveraging additive ma