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Robot maker · registered

Kraus Hamdani Aerospace

Defense marketsecurityCurated record
khaero.com

Designs and manufactures the K1000ULE, a solar-electric VTOL ultra-long-endurance Group 2 UAS with AI-enabled autonomy, GPS-denied operation, secure SATCOM and a two-person logistics footprint; holds the endurance record for small UAS (~76 hours). Blue UAS cleared. Fielded via USMC Small Unit Remote Scouting System (SURSS) and a $270M AFCENT rapid-deployment IDIQ.

HeadquartersEmeryville, US
Founded2016
Defense fundingNot disclosed
Team11-50
Deployments1
Open roles4
01

Company overview

Identity and operating footprint

Company typeRobot maker
Market segmentDefense
StageBootstrapped
FoundersFatema Hamdani (CEO), Stefan Kraus (CTO)
Regions servedNorth America, Middle East
Countries deployedNot listed
Service footprintNot listed
Last reviewed2026-07-05
MX

Robot models

Specifications remain vendor-claimed

Machinesecurity

K1000ULE

  • Longest-endurance UAS in its size/weight class; fully electric with AI-enabled autonomy, GPS-denied capable, secure SATCOM, two-person team footprint

    vendor-stated specs in AFCENT contract announcement

    Claim source
  • Selected April 2024 to supply the US Navy/USMC Small Unit Remote Scouting System (SURSS) program — first solar-electric VTOL UAS for the Navy

    program-of-record selection after government down-select evaluation

    Claim source
DP

Deployment log

Announced and cited only

AnnouncedCustomerSiteCountryCountEvidence
2026-04-09US Air Forces Central (AFCENT)K1000ULE UAS IDIQ rapid deployment contractUSNot disclosedAnnouncement
HR

Hiring signal

Public job board · 2026-07-13

Open roles4

Hiring is an operating signal, not deployment evidence. Roles are refreshed from the company’s public careers system.

Manufacturing EngineerTeam unlisted · Hayward, California, United StatesManufacturing TechnicianTeam unlisted · Hayward, California, United StatesSenior UAS Training & Standardization SpecialistTeam unlisted · Pendleton, ORSupply Chain Operations SpecialistTeam unlisted · Hayward, CA
TL

Company timeline

Milestones and announcements

2026-04-09$270M single-source IDIQ from US Air Forces Central (AFCENT) to accelerate K1000ULE deploymentPR Newswire
2024-04-07US Navy contract for USMC SURSS program (initial three K1000ULE systems)DroneLife
SC

Source ledger

3 unique public sources

01
Kraus Hamdani Aerospace Awarded $270 million AFCENT Contract to Accelerate Deployment of K1000ULEPR Newswire · retrieved 2026-07-05
02
Kraus Hamdani Aerospace Wins Contract to Provide the U.S. Navy with its First Solar-electric VTOL UASPR Newswire · retrieved 2026-07-05
03
Kraus Hamdani Aerospace Secures Contract for Revolutionary Solar-Electric VTOL UAS with the U.S. NavyDroneLife · retrieved 2026-07-05