DroneShield names Michael Powell new Chief Operating Officer

DroneShield has appointed Michael Powell as Chief Operating Officer as the counter-drone technology company expands its international operations and increases manufacturing capacity in Australia.

Powell joins the Sydney-headquartered business after more than 25 years in senior executive and operational roles across defence, aerospace, secure communications, simulation, rail and critical infrastructure. He has held senior positions at Thales Australia and rail systems supplier Knorr-Bremse.

The appointment comes as DroneShield reports higher activity in Europe and the United States, alongside rising demand from defence, government and critical infrastructure customers.

Operations focus

Powell will oversee global operations, delivery and sustainment. He will also align engineering, manufacturing and supply chain teams as DroneShield broadens its product portfolio and supports a larger international customer base.

DroneShield is expanding manufacturing capacity at its Alexandria, New South Wales, site. The expansion is intended to increase production throughput, shorten delivery timelines and strengthen supply-chain resilience as output scales to meet demand.

Counter-drone systems are drawing greater attention from military and security organisations as small uncrewed aircraft become more accessible and widely used. This has increased demand for detection and disruption technologies at sites such as airports, public venues and critical infrastructure.

DroneShield develops systems designed to detect and counter uncrewed aircraft. The company says its products draw on radio-frequency sensing, artificial intelligence, sensor fusion and electronic-warfare techniques.

Executive track record

Powell has held roles including Chief Operating Officer, managing director and operations director. His experience includes leading large multinational teams and managing multi-hundred-million-dollar operational portfolios.

His work has included scaling manufacturing and supply chain operations, running operational transformation programs and supporting international business turnarounds.

Powell has lived and worked across Australia, Asia-Pacific, the United States, Europe and the Middle East. He holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Engineering, and is a Chartered Professional Engineer and a Fellow of the Institute of Engineers.

DroneShield is headquartered in Sydney and Warrenton, Virginia, and is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange under the ticker DRO.

As overseas activity increases, operational leadership has become a sharper focus for the business, including production planning, component supply, product delivery and ongoing sustainment for long-term contracts.

DroneShield positioned the role as part of its next phase of growth and linked the appointment to shifts in how governments and critical infrastructure operators are adopting counter-drone capability.

Chief executive Oleg Vornik said the appointment reflects the need to scale operations as demand rises.

"Michael is a proven operator with deep experience delivering complex programs at global scale. As demand for counter-UAS capability continues to accelerate, his leadership will be instrumental in ensuring DroneShield scales with discipline, resilience, and a relentless focus on customer outcomes," said Oleg Vornik, Chief Executive, DroneShield.

Powell will take responsibility for operational execution as DroneShield expands activity in Europe and the United States and increases output from its Alexandria manufacturing facility.