Read the money
Why it matters: Pitch the office that has the money and an open front door. Money Congress has passed can be spent. Money that is only requested may never arrive.
REAL TODAY · ENACTED $1.1B Drone Dominance Program, fixed-price orders, available to Sep 30, 2029.11,14
NOT YET REAL · REQUESTED $74B+ FY27 drone + counter-drone request. Includes $53.6B mandatory that depends on reconciliation.7,11
The $74B+ FY27 total is left off the bars because it would not fit the scale. Sources: 5, 7, 11, 14, 22, 23, 24.
What this means for you
The government is running on a Continuing Resolution (CR) through Dec 11, 2026 (P.L. 119-103).25 A CR keeps last year's funding levels. New programs often wait until full-year funding passes.
Read the signal
The Army wants at least 1 million drones over 2 to 3 years. SkyFoundry, its in-house build effort, became "Advanced Manufacturing for sUAS" at AUSA 2026. So the Army is buying motors, boards and magnets as well as airframes.26,27,11
The July 2025 drone memo pushed buying authority down to O-6 commanders (colonels, or Navy captains), made Group 1 to 2 drones consumables, meaning they are treated like ammunition rather than tracked equipment, and set a goal of drones in every squad by the end of 2026.1,2,3
What this means for you
Plan your year on enacted money: the reconciliation lines, Drone Dominance, and the FY26 Army drone lines. Treat FY27 numbers as a forecast of where demand is heading, not a budget you can sell into today.
Next step: Find the enacted line closest to your product above, then find the office that spends it in "Who actually buys."
Do this next · After The Cr
- Watch FY27 appropriations after the Dec 11 CR.
- Recheck which FY27 lines were enacted and adjust your target lanes.