How Sift's Unified Observability Platform Accelerates Drone Innovation

February 2, 2026

The Defense Department is gauging the defense industry's ability to develop 300,000 drones "quickly and inexpensively" by 2027. (Image: Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Victor Gurrola)

In December, the Defense Department issued a request for information to gauge the defense industry's ability to develop more than 300,000 drones "quickly and inexpensively" by 2027.

Over the next year, the Department plans on spending up to $1 billion to fulfill their need to acquire a large number of the "very best of low-cost American-made drones," according to a December 2025 press release.

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology Podcast, we learn about a new tool that could help manufacturers optimize the way they design and create new drones. Austin Spiegel, CTO of Sift, is the guest to explain their "unified observability platform" and how drone manufacturers can leverage it to optimize their design, validation, manufacturing, and overall engineering processes from prototype to operations.

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