Musk claims US military drones used Starlink service against SpaceX rules

SpaceX and the Pentagon have been in discussions regarding the pricing of the Starshield satellite service during the Iran war, as reported by Reuters on May 26, 2026. SpaceX reportedly requested an increased payment from the military after the use of satellite terminals on attack drones in Iran. Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, disputed the accuracy of the Reuters report but acknowledged that military drones initially utilized the commercial Starlink service rather than the government-specific network, which he stated violated the terms of service. Musk attributed this violation to the contractor responsible for building the drones. According to the Reuters report, SpaceX recently sought $25,000 for Starshield access per kamikaze drone, a significant increase from the previous $5,000 fee. The Pentagon objected to this price increase but ultimately consented to the new rate.