Musk says US military suicide drones used Starlink in violation of SpaceX rules
Elon Musk has claimed that US military drones improperly used SpaceX's Starlink service instead of the designated Starshield network. This violation of terms has led to a dispute over pricing for satellite services, with SpaceX seeking a significant increase in fees. The Pentagon has agreed to the new pricing despite objections, while Musk attributes the misuse to a contractor's error.
- ▪Musk stated that military drones used the commercial Starlink service instead of the government-specific Starshield network.
- ▪SpaceX requested $25,000 per drone for Starshield access, up from $5,000, which the Pentagon ultimately agreed to pay.
- ▪Musk blamed the improper use of the Starlink system on the contractor that built the drones for the military.
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$25,000 per drone Musk says US military suicide drones used Starlink in violation of SpaceX rules Musk says drones used Starlink instead of Starshield, blames military contractor. Jon Brodkin – May 26, 2026 5:23 pm | 7 A Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drone launches from the USS Santa Barbara in the Arabian Gulf on December 16, 2025. Credit: US Army A Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drone launches from the USS Santa Barbara in the Arabian Gulf on December 16, 2025.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Ars Technica.
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