A significant "valley of death" exists in the defense acquisition process for scaling successful startup pilot programs from the $1-2 million phase to mid-size contracts.

The US Air Force's acquisition programs are considered broken and outdated for the current pace of technology.

Tens of thousands of drones are being actively used in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Off-the-shelf consumer drones available for $500-$1,000 now possess capabilities superior to military drones that cost $50,000-$100,000 in the 2007-2008 timeframe.

Traditional, large-scale military defense systems like missiles and lasers were initially ineffective against the threat of small, low-cost drones.

The frequent rotation of officers and personnel within the Department of Defense creates a lack of continuity that hinders the progress of long-term technology and innovation programs.