Firestorm

Firestorm is a San Diego-based company founded in 2022 by Dan Magy, Ian Muceus, and Chad McCoy, specializing in the expeditionary manufacturing of modular Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). The company's business model centers on providing the U.S. Department of Defense and allied forces with the capability to rapidly produce and deploy mission-adaptable drones directly in the field. This approach addresses the defense sector's need for faster, more cost-effective systems without the long lead times and high costs of traditional manufacturing.

The founding team combines deep industry experience. CEO Dan Magy previously founded Citadel Defense, a counter-UAS company acquired by Blue Halo, giving him a foundation in drone-related defense technology. CTO Ian Muceus is an aerospace engineer with extensive expertise in additive manufacturing, holding patents in polymer, ceramic, and metal 3D printing. Chief Strategy Officer Chad McCoy brings direct operational experience from his background in Tier One special operations. Their collective insight into asymmetrical warfare and manufacturing limitations inspired Firestorm's core concept of democratizing air power through affordable, reconfigurable systems.

Firestorm's flagship product is the Tempest, a modular Group 2/3 UAS that can be configured for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), electronic warfare, or kinetic strike missions. The company's key differentiator is its proprietary xCell manufacturing unit, a self-contained, semi-automated "factory-in-a-box" that can be deployed to remote locations. Leveraging advanced additive manufacturing, an xCell unit can 3D print a Tempest airframe in under nine hours and produce a fully mission-ready drone in approximately 36 hours, at what the company claims is a fraction of the cost of comparable systems. This enables on-demand production and resupply, reducing logistical dependencies.

The company has secured significant funding and major government contracts that validate its business model. After an initial $12.5 million seed round led by Lockheed Martin Ventures, Firestorm raised $47 million in a Series A round in July 2025. These funds are allocated to expanding its engineering team and opening a larger production facility. Notably, Firestorm was awarded a five-year, $100 million Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract by the U.S. Air Force to integrate its systems with programs like AFWERX.

Keywords: modular drones, unmanned aerial systems, UAS, additive manufacturing, 3D printing, defense technology, expeditionary manufacturing, Department of Defense, military drones, ISR, electronic warfare, kinetic strike, open architecture, affordable mass, contested logistics, xCell, Tempest drone, battlefield production, drone manufacturing, defense innovation, aerospace engineering, rapid prototyping, Dan Magy, Ian Muceus, Chad McCoy