Facts

• Company: PDW
• Product type: UAV
• Status: available
• Capability focus: Generalist
• Website: https://www.pdw.ai/products/c100-public-safety

Profile sections

• Summary
• Overview
• Market context
• Audience
• Workflow
• Capability
• Deployment environment
• Positioning tags
• Specifications
• Tags
• Timeline / Research
• Operations Claims / Customers and deployments
• Comparable Systems
• Sources

Summary

C100 is PDW tactical quadcopter for defense missions. The backpackable drone is designed for ISR, target designation and battlefield support, with long endurance, payload flexibility and secure operation for small units in contested environments.

Overview

C100 is PDW tactical quadcopter for defense missions. The backpackable drone is designed for ISR, target designation and battlefield support, with long endurance, payload flexibility and secure operation for small units in contested environments.

Market context

PDW's flagship multi-mission tactical quadcopter for defence: modular Group 2 UAS with open payload architecture for ISR, fires, EW, comms relay, and kinetic effects.

• Target environment: Defence operational environments including forward operating bases and tactical field sites.
• Workflow context: Tactical ISR, reconnaissance, surveillance and payload delivery with modular mission-configurable open-architecture design.
• Customer context: Defence customers requiring modular tactical UAVs for multi-mission field operations.
• Deployment model: Deployed defence product with active procurement.
• Commercial maturity: Active defence product with field use and procurement programs.
• Adoption constraints: Defence procurement cycles and mission-specific payload certification.
• Market position: PDW's flagship tactical quadcopter with open payload architecture in the Group 2 tactical UAV segment.
• Adjacent products: Black Widow, PDW AM, tactical multirotor systems

Audience

Defense

Workflow

Tactical ISR, reconnaissance, surveillance and payload delivery with modular mission-configurable open-architecture design.

Capability

generalist

Deployment environment

Defence operational environments including forward operating bases and tactical field sites.

Positioning tags

• Audience: Defense
• Workflow: Tactical ISR, reconnaissance, surveillance and payload delivery with modular mission-configurable open-architecture design.
• Capability: generalist
• Deployment environment: Defence operational environments including forward operating bases and tactical field sites.

Specifications

• Max Flight Time Minutes: 74 min
• Max Speed Kmh: 64.37 km/h
• Max Payload Kg: 4.54 kg
• Airframe: Tactical quadcopter, Group 2 UAS
• Task Scope: Defence ISR
• Deployment Time: Dispatch to deployed in under 3 minutes
• Payload Options: Universal payload integration for thermal imaging, phone, radio, med pack, flotation device and custom payloads
• Weather Rating: IP54 compliant; validated to MIL-STD-810G and MIL-STD-1472H durability standards
• Compliance Status: Military MIL-STD-810G and MIL-STD-1472H survivability standards cited by PDW

Tags

• Peer Group: Tactical ISR UAV
• Workflow: Drone ISR
• Capability: Remote operation
• Deployment Environment: Defence operational environment
• Stack Layer: Finished robot platform
• Commercial Stage: Commercial product
• Market Signal: Defence procurement signal

Timeline / Research

• 2026-03-20 - Demonstration - PDW validates long-range and GPS-denied sUAS performance during 9 Mile test series - PDW completed a three-day test campaign at the 9-Mile Training Center in Texas, executing 114 flights acr…
• 2026-02-18 - Demonstration - PDW demonstrates C100 support capabilities during Crimson Tomahawk 25 - PDW demonstrated the C100 at the Crimson Tomahawk 25 joint exercise for U.S. Air Force and Special Forces teams across…
• 2026-01-28 - Deployment - PDW supports Army Transformation in Contact units at the National Training Center - PDW sent instructors and support personnel to the National Training Center to train Army Transformation in Co…
• 2026-01-14 - Demonstration - PDW demonstrates laser-equipped C100 targeting in the Iron Lance campaign - PDW said its 2025 Iron Lance campaign ran laser-designator and launched-effects demonstrations across the U.S. and…
• 2025-10-13 - Product Launch - PDW launches a Multi-Mission Payload suite for the C100 - PDW launched a new C100 Multi-Mission Payload suite focused on communications relay, vision-based navigation, and spectrum awarenes…
• 2025-09-15 - Contract Award - PDW receives a $20.9M U.S. Army award for Transformation in Contact support - PDW said it received a $20.9M U.S. Army award to supply C100 UAS and Multi-Mission Payloads in support of the A…
• 2025-08-20 - Facility Opening - PDW opens Drone Factory 01 in Huntsville to scale tactical drone production - PDW opened Drone Factory 01, a 90,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Huntsville designed to bring desi…

Operations Claims / Customers and deployments

• Fielding Support Status - C100 field support at National Training Center - 2026-01-28 - U.S. Army Transformation in Contact units - military training and fielding support - PDW supported Army Transformation in Contact u…
• Contract Value - US$20.9 million - 2025-09-15 - U.S. Army - defense field operations - PDW received a $20.9 million U.S. Army award to provide C100 UAS and Multi-Mission Payload support for Transformation in Contact for…

Comparable Systems

• AM - PDW - UAV
• ZY-E4 - Beijing Zhuoyi Intelligent - UAV
• AR3 EVO - TEKEVER - UAV
• AR5 - TEKEVER - UAV
• Black Widow - Red Cat - UAV
• Bayraktar TB2 - Baykar - UAV
• Puma 3 AE - AeroVironment - UAV
• VAPOR 55 MX - AeroVironment - UAV