This report assesses the types of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) platforms marketed in the United States and the finances of U.S.-headquartered UAV companies. It finds that most companies develop small UAVs, and only a handful develop more complex military systems. The report also finds that most drone manufacturers are privately held, venture-backed companies, many of which were founded after 2010, and investment activity is concentrated around firms that produce smaller UAVs.

CSET’s Helen Toner shared her expert analysis in an article published by The Wall Street Journal. The article discusses China’s accelerated push to compete with the U.S. in generative artificial intelligence.

Lauren A. Kahn co-authored an analysis published by the Council on Foreign Relations alongside Erin D. Dumbacher and Michael C. Horowitz. The piece examines proposed reforms to the Pentagon’s acquisition system, which aim to speed the delivery of military capabilities and strengthen the U.S. defense enterprise in the face of emerging global challenges.

Data Snapshots are informative descriptions and quick analyses that dig into CSET’s unique data resources. This data interactive maps each of the over 34,000 pieces of space debris the United States government has tracked since 1958, bringing Earth’s crowded orbits to life. It shows how seven decades of launches, collisions, and anti-satellite tests—and just a few catastrophic events by a handful of countries—have created most of today’s debris, potentially endangering the $1.8 trillion global space economy that depends on unfettered access to orbits.

Sam Bresnick and Cole McFaul shared their expert analysis in an op-ed published by Foreign Policy. In their piece, they examine how China is rapidly integrating civilian technological innovation into its military capabilities through a strategy known as military-civil fusion, aiming to outpace the United States in areas like artificial intelligence and autonomous systems.

Recent U.S.-Gulf AI partnerships represent billions of dollars in strategic technology deals, but they raise critical questions about governance, oversight, and long-term influence. This analysis examines four major AI initiatives with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, discussing critical issues including fragmented oversight, technology diversion, and AI sovereignty. It proposes a framework to transform ad hoc dealmaking into principled, transparent, and rule-bound AI statecraft that advances U.S. interests, strengthens technology relationships with allies and partners, and establishes durable governance mechanisms for U.S. AI deployments abroad.

Kathleen Curlee and Andrew Hanna shared their expert analysis in an op-ed published by the Council on Foreign Relations. In their piece, they examine how U.S. space superiority is essential to defending Taiwan while sustaining America’s global leadership in the face of China’s growing space ambitions.

A CSET report was highlighted in an article published by Inside AI Policy. The article delves into the findings of the report, noting China’s growing reliance on nontraditional vendors and research institutions in its AI-related military procurement.

Check out the recording and recap of CSET's event diving deep on China's military modernization below.

CSET’s Cole McFaul shared his expert analysis in an article published by the South China Morning Post. The article examines how China’s military is systematically incorporating artificial intelligence into its operations by leveraging civilian universities and private companies under its sweeping "military-civil fusion" strategy.