‘Never Hurts to Have Their Name on Things’ – Drone Startup Linked to Trump’s Sons

A new drone technology startup, Powerus, is set to go public later this month after merging with Nasdaq-listed Aureus Greenway Holdings, a golf course operator, backed by Donald Trump's sons Donald Jr. and Eric through their investment firm, American Ventures. The company, founded in Florida by a former US Army Special Operations intelligence analyst, Brett Velicovich, plans to import drone technology from Ukraine and other foreign partners to fulfill the Pentagon's growing demand for unmanned vehicles.

Velicovich, the Powerus president and CEO, aims to provide the Pentagon with a "one-stop solution" for foreign technology that bears an "American face." Though the Trump brothers are passive investors, they are expected to lend credibility to the venture. Keith Kellogg, a retired US Army lieutenant general and former Trump envoy to Ukraine, opined that it "never hurts to have their name on something."

The surge in investment in drone technology comes in the wake of lessons learned from the war in Ukraine, where there is a heightened demand for unmanned vehicles. Investors, including the Pentagon, believe that acquiring technology through acquisitions and partnerships is the quickest way to bypass conventional R&D processes.

Powerus has already made a strong start despite being a relatively new player in the market. The company recently unveiled its "Guardian" interceptor drone, a product of a joint US-Ukrainian development, and its MatrixFold attack drone, which was entered into the Pentagon's $1 billion Drone Dominance program but did not advance to the next round.

Powerus has also secured drone contracts with the US Air Force and a Middle Eastern energy infrastructure client, as well as an order from Pakistan's defense ministry for aerial drones and support.