SpaceX has reportedly entered a secret Pentagon competition focused on building next generation AI powered drone swarms. The program centers on translating human voice commands into real time digital instructions that can coordinate multiple autonomous drones at once.
According to a Bloomberg report, SpaceX and its newly acquired AI subsidiary xAI are among a small group selected for a six month Defense Department prize challenge worth up to $100 million. The initiative launched in January and is designed to accelerate battlefield ready swarm technology.
The challenge reflects the Pentagon’s growing interest in autonomous systems that can operate quickly with minimal human input. Voice controlled coordination would allow operators to manage complex drone missions without manual programming or individual commands.
SpaceX’s participation comes shortly after it completed its acquisition of xAI, further expanding Elon Musk’s footprint across aerospace, artificial intelligence, and defense related technologies. The move has also fueled speculation that SpaceX could pursue a public listing as early as 2026.
At the same time, Musk’s defense ties are drawing political scrutiny. Democratic senators recently urged Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to review reports of potential Chinese investment links involving SpaceX.
The irony is notable, as Musk previously signed an open letter calling for a global ban on offensive autonomous weapons. Meanwhile, the Pentagon continues pushing to speed up domestic drone development by cutting bureaucracy and prioritizing rapid innovation.
If successful, the project could reshape how future military operations deploy AI driven drone swarms at scale.
💰 How does the Upscale referral program work?
Today we want to break down a mechanism that many traders unfairly overlook.
They open the “Referrals” tab, see 10%, and assume it’s not much.
But what most people don’t realize is that 10% in Upscale can be more rewarding than 50% on CEX exchanges. Here’s why 👇
Centralized exchanges, or CEXs (such as Bybit, Binance, OKX), typically pay you a percentage of the trading fees generated by the trader you referred.
Some platforms offer up to 50–70% commission sharing. It sounds impressive.
🍆 But here’s the catch…
Let’s look at a simple example.
Exchange fee: 0.1%
You receive 50% of that.
Your friend trades $250 in volume.
Calculation:
$250 × 0.1% × 50% = $0.125
That’s 12 cents.
Even with $10,000 in trading volume, you’d only receive $5 in cashback.
Because the reward is calculated from trading fees, the actual payout depends entirely on how much and how long your friend trades.
💸 Upscale takes a different approach
Our trading fees are among the lowest on the market, starting from 0.0035%. We intentionally keep them low without compromising referral conditions.
Instead of sharing trading fees, we share a portion of the challenge fee.
If your friend purchases a $250 account, you receive $25 immediately at the moment of purchase.
If they purchase a $1,300 account, you receive $130.
This model keeps trading costs low for traders while making referrals meaningfully rewarding.
🔗 If you’re already recommending Upscale, make sure you’re getting paid for it in our app!