Orqa FPV Drones Selected by U.S. Army 2nd Infantry Division
Croatia's Orqa says the U.S. Army's 2nd Infantry Division selected its FPV drones after evaluating multiple suppliers, expanding Orqa's U.S. defense presence.
Croatian drone manufacturer Orqa says the U.S. Army's 2nd Infantry Division has selected the company's first-person-view drones for procurement following an evaluation involving multiple suppliers. The announcement represents another step in Orqa's expansion into the U.S. defense market and places technology developed by the Osijek-based company within one of the Army's permanently forward-deployed formations.
Orqa announced the agreement on August 24 and said its systems were selected based on their performance during the evaluation. The company has not disclosed the number of drones involved, contract value, specific configuration selected, delivery schedule, or whether the procurement will be executed directly or through a U.S. partner.
2nd Infantry Division is rapidly expanding FPV drone operations
The selection comes as the U.S. Army's 2nd Infantry Division/Republic of Korea-U.S. Combined Division expands its use of small FPV systems on the Korean Peninsula.
The division conducted its first attack-drone live-fire training with live ordnance on August 5 at Rodriguez Live Fire Complex in South Korea. U.S. Army soldiers trained alongside U.S. Marines from 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines using Neros Archer FPV drones, demonstrating that the division is evaluating more than one unmanned platform as it develops its tactical drone capability.
The Army said the division's Talon Tech organization continues to evaluate unmanned aircraft for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, cargo delivery and one-way strike missions. The effort is intended to identify technologies that can move from evaluation into operational use by soldiers.
The division had already been building operator proficiency before the August live-fire event. Soldiers participated in a Warrior FPV Drone Course at Camp Humphreys in May 2026, where they trained with small FPV aircraft to develop piloting, maneuvering and tactical employment skills.
That context makes Orqa's announcement notable. The Croatian manufacturer is entering a formation that is actively testing competing FPV technologies rather than introducing drones as an isolated experimental capability.
Orqa builds a larger U.S. defense manufacturing footprint
The 2nd Infantry Division announcement also follows a series of steps by Orqa to establish itself inside the U.S. defense industrial base.
In March, Orqa signed a teaming agreement with Red River Army Depot in Texarkana, Texas, intended to support U.S. military unmanned aircraft manufacturing. The arrangement forms part of the company's broader distributed manufacturing strategy.
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Orqa and By Light Professional IT Services subsequently established Orqa U.S., an independently controlled U.S. company headquartered in Oakland, California. Manufacturing is planned around a 180,000-square-foot defense industrial facility in Port Orange, Florida, with full-rate production capability targeted for October 2026.
The U.S. venture is intended to provide American-made systems compliant with U.S. procurement requirements while transferring Orqa technology into a domestic manufacturing structure. According to Orqa U.S., the operation is being built around U.S. production and an onshore supply chain.
Orqa has also partnered with U.S. defense technology company Firestorm on the Squall Group 1 FPV quadcopter. That program combines Orqa technology with Firestorm's manufacturing approach for systems intended for U.S. and allied military users.
Croatian drone technology moves deeper into NATO markets
For Croatia's defense industry, the 2nd Infantry Division agreement carries significance beyond the size of the individual procurement, which remains undisclosed.
Orqa began in Osijek in 2018 and has developed from an FPV equipment specialist into a vertically integrated unmanned systems manufacturer. The company designs drones alongside flight-control electronics, radio systems, operator equipment and other components, giving it greater control over its technology and supply chain than manufacturers dependent on imported drone subsystems.
Its expansion has accelerated over the past year. Orqa previously reported production capacity of up to 280,000 drones annually at its Osijek facility and has launched an international manufacturing program aimed at eventually exceeding one million units of annual capacity through partner facilities.
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The company is simultaneously broadening its technology portfolio. At Eurosatory 2026, Orqa introduced the MRM2-10AI tactical drone with hybrid radio and fiber-optic communications, onboard computing and vision-based terminal guidance intended for operations in environments affected by electronic warfare and GNSS disruption.
Orqa has also worked with the Swiss Armed Forces during FPV trials and joined the EU-Ukraine Drone Deal as one of 18 founding companies participating in the European Union and Ukraine's emerging drone industrial framework.
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Taken together, those developments show an increasingly international trajectory for the Croatian company. The 2nd Infantry Division selection adds a direct U.S. Army procurement reference to that expansion and, if followed by larger orders, could provide Orqa with a stronger position in the rapidly developing American tactical drone market.
The next indicators will be the number and configuration of systems ordered, the contracting vehicle used for the procurement, and whether the 2nd Infantry Division agreement develops into repeat orders or broader adoption elsewhere in the U.S. Army.
Orqa and the U.S. Army: key questions
Did the U.S. Army select Orqa FPV drones?
Orqa announced on August 24, 2026 that the U.S. Army's 2nd Infantry Division had agreed to procure its FPV drones following an evaluation involving multiple suppliers.
How many Orqa drones is the 2nd Infantry Division buying?
Neither the quantity nor the contract value has been publicly disclosed. Orqa also has not identified the exact drone configuration covered by the agreement.
Where is the U.S. Army's 2nd Infantry Division based?
The 2nd Infantry Division/Republic of Korea-U.S. Combined Division is headquartered at Camp Humphreys in South Korea. It is the U.S. Army's only permanently forward-deployed combined division.
Does Orqa manufacture drones in the United States?
Orqa has established several U.S. industrial relationships. Orqa U.S., formed with By Light Professional IT Services, plans full-rate production from a 180,000-square-foot facility in Port Orange, Florida by October 2026, while Orqa has separately entered a manufacturing-related agreement with Red River Army Depot.
