Cohort 3's Most Competitive Field Yet — Spanning Counter-UAS, Autonomous Medical Logistics, Infrastructure Intelligence, and Next-Generation Defense — to Compete at AUVSI Cascade Spring Symposium in Pendleton, April 22
PENDLETON, Ore. — April 17, 2026 — The Oregon UAS Accelerator today announced the 12 finalist companies that will compete in the 2026 Oregon UAS Innovation Showcase Finals on April 22 at the AUVSI Cascade Spring Symposium in Pendleton, Oregon. Selected from a field of 35 applicants, the finalists represent the most competitive cohort in the program's history — collectively raising $18.5 million entering the Showcase, with 71% of companies at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 or higher.
The 12 companies — expanded from the program's typical 10-company format to reflect the exceptional depth of this cohort — span a remarkable range of sectors: from AI-powered drone swarm infrastructure and passive counter-UAS detection to autonomous medical logistics, advanced muon imaging for critical minerals, and ultra-low-cost drone decoy systems for contested airspace operations.
"This cohort raised the bar," said Joseph Wyno, Executive Director of the Oregon UAS Accelerator. "Every one of these 12 companies has put in the work — 12 weeks of investor readiness training, pitch development, and access to one of the nation's premier UAS test ranges. What they've built, and what they'll present on April 22, reflects the full potential of Oregon's innovation ecosystem in uncrewed systems and autonomy."
The Showcase Finals will be held at Hamley's Slickfork Saloon (8 SE Court, Pendleton, OR) across two competitive pitch sessions: the first beginning at 8:30 AM and the second at 1:05 PM. Each company will present before a panel of expert judges and a live audience of investors, defense operators, government officials, and industry partners.
Meet the Top 12
American Tenet
A veteran-led defense technology company developing DECOI (Deceptive Engagement for Operational Impact) — an ultra-low-cost, expendable drone decoy system engineered to change how contested airspace is controlled. DECOI enables tactical deception by saturating enemy sensors, probing air defenses, and forcing adversaries to expend high-cost munitions on low-cost targets, while masking more capable allied assets. Designed for mass production using commercially available components, DECOI also supports target practice training, short-range surveillance, and delivery of lethal effector payloads.
- James Oleen, Founder
Ether Form
Ether Form builds distributed drone defense systems for forward forces, combining its Medium Range Reconnaissance (MRR) UAS with software-guided interceptors to defend affordably against low-cost drone threats. The company's systems integrate RF sensors, computer vision and jam-resistant directional mesh networking technology. Ether Form has deployed RF products, DoD and federal laboratory traction, in-house composite manufacturing and electronics design capability. Ether Form's MRR UAS is currently in active flight testing.
- Chris Barnes, Chief Executive Officer
FlyX Technologies
FlyX is building the aerial layer of critical infrastructure — turning power grids into recharging highways for autonomous, edge-AI swarm drones capable of persistent, intelligent operation. FlyX drones continuously monitor powerlines, pipelines, and railways, creating a real-time, self-updating digital layer of the physical world. With a flight-ready MVP, growing utility traction, and strong dual-use demand across logistics and ISR, FlyX is positioned to lead the Physical AI era in the sub-400 ft. AGL operational environment.
- Farzad Rahbar, Co-Founder & CEO
Ganaio
Ganaio is developing an advanced electromagnetic suspension system that improves vehicle efficiency, stability, and ride quality without increasing system complexity. Built on a patented architecture, the technology reduces energy loss in suspension motion while delivering smoother and more consistent damping performance — enabling scalable adoption across automotive and defense vehicle platforms. The company has completed dyno testing validation and is preparing for vehicle-level pilot programs with production partners.
- John Gewarges, President & CEO
Haast Autonomous
Haast Autonomous builds and operates autonomous VTOL aircraft and smart payload systems that move organs, blood, antivenom, and other time-critical medical supplies between hospitals faster, more reliably, and at lower cost than helicopters, jets, or ground couriers. Haast's next-generation platform is designed for high-capacity medical loads, high cruise speeds, and long-range multi-hour flights — enabling a single aircraft to cover entire regions and unlock missions that no existing medical drone or crewed aircraft can economically perform.
- Ege Halac, Chief Executive Officer
HumanKind Homes
HumanKind Homes is addressing America's housing shortage and climate resilience challenge with a carbon-negative concrete block system that is fire-, flood-, and severe storm-resistant — and built for automated drone assembly. The company is delivering resilient homes faster and more affordably than traditional construction, with active pilot development underway in Oregon. Partners include Techstars, Autodesk, and the Missing Middle Housing Fund.
- Dayne Littlewood, Co-Founder
Lorica Technologies
Lorica Technologies develops SeaSafe — an autonomous maritime defense system that enables commercial vessels to detect, deter, and intercept potential threats before reaching the vessel. Combining patented UAV-based perimeter protection with proprietary flight control, targeting, and detection software, SeaSafe delivers perpetual overwatch and scalable countermeasure deployment, providing a more cost-effective alternative to traditional maritime security models.
- Christopher Dye, Chief Executive Officer
MAV Unlimited
MAV Unlimited is commercializing Volumetric Manufacturing — a next-generation 3D printing technology that produces custom products locally, on demand, in minutes. The technology is designed to enable distributed, just-in-time manufacturing for uncrewed systems components and beyond, with applications across defense logistics, advanced manufacturing, and supply chain resilience.
- Aaron Pempel, Chief Executive Officer
Osprey cUAS
Osprey cUAS is developing a backpack-portable, fully passive counter-drone system that detects, tracks, and designates drone threats without emitting radar or RF signals — giving small teams earlier warning and more time to respond. Combining passive acoustic sensing with electro-optical, infrared, and SWIR imaging, Osprey fuses data on-device and integrates directly into ATAK and Cursor-on-Target workflows. Designed for warfighters, national security users, and critical infrastructure operators who need a practical defense layer that operates in contested environments.
- Ian Doyle, Co-Founder & CEO
- Rick Hanberry, CTO & Co-Founder
Outer Rim Exploration (ORE)
Outer Rim Exploration is building next-generation muon imaging systems to accelerate the discovery and characterization of critical mineral deposits. ORE's compact detectors generate high-resolution 3D density maps of the subsurface, enabling more precise targeting while significantly reducing exploration risk and cost. Following a successful copper detection with Transatlantic Mining, ORE collaborates with NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Colorado School of Mines to advance dual-use subsurface mapping across infrastructure, defense, and planetary exploration.
- Jeremiah Anderson, Chief Executive Officer
PrairieSchooner
PrairieSchooner is a defense technology company innovating military command and control for the era of mass autonomy. Its product, Pegasus, is an autonomous orchestrator that uses intuitive voice commands to minimize operator cognitive load and augment warfighter capabilities. ATAK-compatible and built for multi-unmanned system management, Pegasus accelerates tactical decision cycles with minimal friction — designed and proven in the most demanding operational environments.
- Kiyeon Kim, Co-Founder & CEO
SeaStereo
SeaStereo is reducing global food shortages by making aquaculture more profitable and easier to scale. The company delivers the industry's only aerial, fully automated, non-contact system for fish counting and measurement — built on mature drone platforms, AI-driven image recognition, and proprietary data analytics. SeaStereo eliminates manual sampling inaccuracies, reduces labor requirements by up to 80%, and improves harvest prediction accuracy from approximately 75% to 95% for commercial and government aquaculture operations.
- Joe Piacenza, Co-Founder
About the Oregon UAS Innovation Showcase
The Oregon UAS Innovation Showcase is the culminating competitive event of each Oregon UAS Accelerator cohort. Finalists are selected through a competitive application and screening process, then complete a 12-week investor readiness curriculum covering business model development, unit economics, IP strategy, pitch preparation, and access to the Pendleton UAS Range's 14,000+ square miles of FAA-approved operational airspace. The Showcase Finals connect investor-ready companies with venture capital, strategic investors, defense operators, and government procurement officials in a live competitive format.
Attend the Showcase
The 2026 Oregon UAS Innovation Showcase Finals take place on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at Hamley's Slickfork Saloon, 8 SE Court, Pendleton, Oregon, as part of the AUVSI Cascade Spring Symposium (April 22–23).
Investors and strategic partners may register through the Oregon UAS Accelerator's dedicated pathway at oregonuas.org for curated access and introductions to cohort companies.
General registration for the full two-day symposium is available at AUVSICascade.org.
Event and general registration: AUVSICascade.org
Investor registration: oregonuas.org
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