Accepted · U.S. Army xTech|Search 10

Angel uncrewed aircraft in a fast, low pass over scrubland at golden hour

Next Generation defense, built by the Next Generation.

We design and build uncrewed aircraft that keep units connected and train them against the drones they will face.

See the aircraft Contact us
Airborne relayAngel keeps the network up.
Threat representationGath and Hail train the shooters.
Designed in-houseAirframes, structures and software.
Poolesville, MDFounded 2026.

Three aircraft. One shared core.

Every Sampson aircraft runs on the same ground station, autopilot and build methods, so what we learn on one flies on the next.

Angel banking over a ridgeline with smoke rising behind

Group 2 · Airborne relay

Angel

When a ridgeline, a building or distance cuts the signal, Angel climbs above it and puts the network back. It circles over the unit for hours and passes voice and data between teams that can no longer reach each other.

  • Keeps radios talkingActs as a flying relay, so teams beyond line of sight stay on one network.
  • Swap the missionNoses change in the field: relay, camera, or both. One airframe covers many jobs.
  • Fits a small teamLaunches from a rail, lands under a parachute and packs into a vehicle. No runway needed.
  • Built to growOpen bays take the radios and sensors a unit already uses, instead of locking it into ours.
7.5hEndurance

Design estimate, not a flight-test result. Endurance grows as battery cells improve.

Full-scale design complete · scale prototype next

Relay nodeSwappable nosesRail launchParachute recovery

Swap the mission in minutes.

Angel’s nose comes off by hand. Pick the sensor the mission needs and fly the same airframe again.

Angel with nose A, a small stabilized camera ball under the chin Angel with nose B, flush camera windows and no gimbal Angel with nose C, a larger zoom turret under the chin Nose A

Nose A

Stabilized gimbal

Day and thermal cameras that lock onto a point on the ground while Angel circles overhead.

  • Watch a fixed point
  • Day and night
  • Best all-rounder

Height is range.

A ridge cuts two platoons off from each other and from command. Raise Angel and watch the links come back.

98kmAngel at 500 m3 of 3 links up
NO COVERAGE RIDGE PLATOON A PLATOON B COMMAND POST ANGEL SCHEMATIC · NOT TO SCALE · DRAG ANGEL OR THE SLIDER
On the ground · 2 m500 m

Schematic, not to scale. Distance is the line-of-sight radio horizon for the altitude shown, not a guaranteed radio range; terrain and radios set that.

Turn it yourself.

A live 3D model of Angel. Drag to turn it, pinch or scroll to zoom.

Gath target drone with a red nose banking in a bright sky

Target drone · Fixed wing

Gath

Units training to stop drones need something realistic to shoot at. Gath flies fast and low like the one-way attack drones seen in current conflicts, at a cost low enough to lose on every engagement.

  • Flies like the threatFast, low and maneuverable, with radar and infrared signatures to track against.
  • Scores itselfOnboard hit sensing and a GPS track log show exactly what happened on every pass.
  • Cheap to losePrinted airframe and break-away wing panels keep the cost per shot low and repairs quick.
  • Faster versions comingGath-EJ, a jet-powered version for higher-speed threats, is in design.
30minPlanning endurance
250km/hDash

Design estimates, not flight-test results.

Design and structural analysis complete · first flights next

Self-scoringLow cost per shotTraining only

Target drone · Multirotor · In development

Hail

Small quadcopters and FPV drones are now the most common threat on the battlefield. Hail gives units a cheap, realistic quad to train against. Paired with Gath, a range gets both threat types from one supplier.

  • Represents quadsHovers, darts and dives like the small drones troops face today.
  • Same ground stationFlies and scores alongside Gath, so one crew can run a mixed scenario.
  • Fast to fieldBuilt from proven multirotor parts, so it reaches ranges quickly.
Quad and FPV threatsTraining only
Angel on its launch rail at a desert forward operating base at dusk, with soldiers and a vehicle nearby

Built for the field

No runway. No landing gear. A small team can launch it.

A defense company from Poolesville, Maryland.

Sampson Dynamics started in 2026 with one goal: give units affordable aircraft they can actually field. We design, analyze and build everything in-house.

October 2026

U.S. Army xTech|Search 10

Our Angel white paper was accepted into the Army’s xTech|Search 10 competition.

In-house

Design to flight test

Aerodynamics, CAD, structural analysis and printed parts, all done by our own team.

Our line

Targets stay targets

Gath and Hail are training aircraft. They carry no weapons.

Careers

The Next Generation builds here.

Small team, fast decisions, real hardware. Own a whole system from first sketch to flight test.

Operations LeadOpen

Runs the company day to day: government registrations, contracts, suppliers and the money.

Avionics EngineerOpen

Owns everything electric: autopilot, radios, hit-scoring sensors and ground-station code.

Multirotor EngineerOpening soon

Hail quad targets, motors, props and flight tuning.

Angel climbing overhead against an evening sky

Contact

Let’s build it together.

For partnerships, demos, investment or a seat on the team, email the founder directly.

sam@sampsondynamics.com Write an email