Draganfly established Draganfly Defense USA, a dedicated U.S. defense subsidiary designed to support the company’s expansion across defense and national security markets.
The new structure is intended to help Draganfly address the security, regulatory, compliance, cybersecurity, data protection, export-control, and operational requirements associated with serving U.S. defense customers.
Draganfly said the subsidiary will also provide a framework for segregating and protecting controlled technologies and sensitive information where required.
Thomas B. Modly, the 33rd Under Secretary of the U.S. Navy and a former Acting Secretary of the Navy, was appointed Chairman of the Board of Draganfly Defense USA.
Cameron Chell, CEO and Chairman of Draganfly, will serve as a director of the new subsidiary.
As part of the transition, Modly will relinquish his board position at Draganfly to focus on the growth, development, and governance of Draganfly Defense USA.
Modly has served on Draganfly’s Board of Directors since 2024 and has provided strategic guidance as the company expanded its defense and national security activities.
His background includes leadership roles across defense, government, and business, including organizational transformation, business operations, education, accountability, and readiness across the Navy and Marine Corps.
Brigadier General AJ Pasagian, USMC (Ret’d), who was named President of Draganfly Defense USA in August 2026, will lead the subsidiary’s U.S. defense operations.
Pasagian will oversee strategic growth, government and industry relationships, operational expansion, and execution across defense programs.
The launch follows several moves by Draganfly to expand its U.S. defense presence during 2026.
These include the acquisition of Skip Dynamix, the appointment of Pasagian, and Draganfly’s selection with F4 Defense International by DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory for a development contract focused on a modular, multi-layered integrated counter-UAS system.
The company has also continued expanding its North American manufacturing and supply-chain capabilities.
Draganfly Defense USA will focus on areas including unmanned aerial systems, mission-specific aircraft, autonomous systems and software, counter-UAS technologies, artificial intelligence, machine vision, sensing, payloads, secure communications, U.S. manufacturing, domestic supply-chain development, training, sustainment, and strategic government and industry partnerships.
The subsidiary is also intended to support the execution of current and future U.S. defense programs.
Draganfly said the dedicated structure will allow it to continue building U.S.-based capabilities while leveraging its broader engineering, manufacturing, software, and technology resources across North America.
KEY QUOTES:
“Establishing Draganfly Defense USA creates a dedicated structure to serve the unique requirements of the U.S. defense market. I have had the opportunity to work closely with Cameron and the Draganfly team as a member of the Board, and I look forward to continuing that work in a focused capacity as Chairman of Draganfly Defense USA. The opportunity now is to build the governance, agility, operational discipline, and advanced capabilities required to support our U.S. defense customers at scale.”
Thomas B. Modly, Chairman of Draganfly Defense USA
“Defense requirements are changing rapidly, and success in this market requires much more than delivering an aircraft. It requires trusted technology, secure supply chains, domestic capability, and an organization structured around the operational requirements of the warfighter, including ease of use and human factors engineering designed to provide and sustain advantage for the American warfighter. Draganfly Defense USA gives us a dedicated platform from which to build those capabilities and serve the U.S. defense community.”
Brigadier General AJ Pasagian, USMC (Ret’d), President of Draganfly Defense USA
