KORTHOSCompaniesProductsVerified EventsSupply Chain

Product profile

Merops

Merops is Perennial Autonomy autonomous counter-drone interceptor. It is designed to detect, track and defeat hostile drones using onboard autonomy and tar...

Facts

Company
Perennial Autonomy
Product type
counter_uas_system
Status
active
Primary capability
counter_uas

About Merops

Merops is an autonomous interceptor developed to engage hostile unmanned aircraft. Onboard sensing and guidance allow the vehicle to pursue an assigned target and complete the terminal engagement with limited continuous control from the operator. The design is intended for repeated, lower-cost defence against small aerial threats.

Perennial Autonomy integrates Merops with detection, command and battlefield-networking systems as part of its wider unmanned portfolio. The company produces the interceptor for operational military customers and positions it for defence of units, infrastructure and other protected areas against one-way attack and reconnaissance drones.

Market context

Counter-UAS system should keep its specific public label but not appear as an aircraft in the Drone bucket., https://defensescoop.com/2026/05/19/pentagon-awards-500-million-contract-to-perennial-autonomy-for-counter-drone-systems/, counter_uas_system_v1, U.S. and allied defense counter-UAS buyers, complete_public_profile, Counter-UAS System, Included in JIATF-401 accelerated counter-drone procurement, Urgent procurement / combat-informed system, existing_category_first, https://defensescoop.com/2026/05/19/pentagon-awards-500-million-contract-to-perennial-autonomy-for-counter-drone-systems/, defense_system, 2026-08-19, counter_uas_system, defense_system, resolved_to_canonical_category, defense_system

Summary

Type: Interceptor UAV

Core: Drone defeat

Function: Interception

Audience: Defense

Specifications

combat_record
more than 4,000 claimed Russian drone intercepts in Ukraine since mid-2024
commercial_status
fielded_procurement
core_functions
counter_uas; autonomous_interceptor; terminal_autonomy; field_deployed_air_defense; vehicle_launched
deployment_format
Compact mobile C-UAS package; tested with U.S., Polish and Romanian troops and deployed in Ukraine and the Middle East
guidance_stack
Computer vision, radio-frequency detection, jam-resistant communications and next-generation autonomy
interceptor
AS3 Surveyor fixed-wing interceptor
mobility_class
aerial_fixed_wing; vehicle_launched
operating_environment
aerial; contested_electromagnetic; forward_deployed
operational_role
counter_uas; air_defense; combat_support
system_type
Counter-UAS system with ground control station, pneumatic launcher and AS3 Surveyor interceptor
target_class
Shahed, Gerbera and similar one-way attack drones
unit_cost_usd
15000 USD per interceptor

Operations

Environment
aerial, contested_electromagnetic, forward_deployed
Primary user
defence_operator
Role
counter_uas, air_defense, combat_support
Interaction model
human_supervised, terminal_autonomy, sensor_cued
Mobility class
aerial_fixed_wing, vehicle_launched
Product detail
Counter-UAS system should keep its specific public label but not appear as an aircraft in the Drone bucket., https://defensescoop.com/2026/05/19/pentagon-awards-500-million-contract-to-perennial-autonomy-for-counter-drone-systems/, counter_uas_system_v1, U.S. and allied defense counter-UAS buyers, complete_public_profile, Counter-UAS System, Included in JIATF-401 accelerated counter-drone procurement, Urgent procurement / combat-informed system, existing_category_first, https://defensescoop.c...

Research, Articles and recent verified events