Swift Beat

Swift Beat, LLC is an American defense technology company headquartered in Menlo Park, California. The company develops artificial intelligence-enabled unmanned aerial vehicles for reconnaissance, strike, and counter-drone missions and works closely with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The company is led by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and originated from the drone project previously known as White Stork. Swift Beat was founded in 2023 and evolved from an initiative launched by Eric Schmidt to develop low-cost autonomous drones for use in the Russo-Ukrainian war. The company maintains a significant presence in Ukraine, where new drone systems are developed jointly with Ukrainian partners and tested under operational battlefield conditions. In July 2025, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and Eric Schmidt signed a memorandum of long-term strategic cooperation in the presence of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The agreement provides for the expansion of production of interceptor drones, reconnaissance drones, and strike drones for Ukraine. According to the Office of the President of Ukraine, several hundred thousand drones are expected to be delivered during the first year of the partnership. Swift Beat develops autonomous military drone systems based on artificial intelligence. Its portfolio includes interceptor drones for countering hostile UAVs, reconnaissance drones, FPV drones, and medium-range strike drones.