Destinus will equip hypersonic drones with AI vision.

robot
Abstract generation in progress

The drone manufacturing startup Destinus plans to acquire the Swiss company Daedalean for 180 million Swiss francs ($223 million). It will enhance the AI capabilities of UAVs and hypersonic aircraft, writes Bloomberg.

Destinus is releasing a series of strike and reconnaissance drones: Lord, Ruta, Hornet, D, E, G, including hypersonic versions with AI piloting. These UAVs are being delivered to Ukraine in large batches.

Daedalean specializes in the development of autopilots and aviation systems based on machine learning and computer vision without the use of satellites or GPS. The products aim to minimize human involvement in flights.

Initially, the company focused on electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft designed to operate as air taxis. However, the commercialization of this direction turned out to be challenging.

A flying taxi was tested in Dubai

It is expected that the deal will close by the end of 2025.

It reflects the growth of investments in the defense sector against the backdrop of European countries' efforts to increase military budgets. Special attention is paid to UAVs and unmanned systems, which have become crucial in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, writes Bloomberg.

Several European startups producing drones, including Helsing and Quantum Systems, recently closed large funding rounds.

In June, Destinus held negotiations with investors for financing with a valuation of €1.5 billion ($1.7 billion).

The founder and CEO of the company, Mikhail Kokorich, stated that Daedalean will help the weapon systems of his company operate without relying on satellite navigation systems. This is an important advantage against the backdrop of Russia's achievements in electronic warfare, the agency noted.

Kokorich emphasized that the firms had already collaborated before. Now their technologies will be used for both military and civilian purposes.

"It became clear to all participants that the official merger is a logical next step," he said.

Let us remind you that in July, the Pentagon signed a contract worth $50 million with the Swiss company Auterion for the supply of 33,000 "strike kits" equipped with artificial intelligence for drones to Ukraine.

GPS-2.74%
View Original
This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.
  • Reward
  • Comment
  • Repost
  • Share
Comment
0/400
No comments
Trade Crypto Anywhere Anytime
qrCode
Scan to download Gate app
Community
English
  • 简体中文
  • English
  • Tiếng Việt
  • 繁體中文
  • Español
  • Русский
  • Français (Afrique)
  • Português (Portugal)
  • Bahasa Indonesia
  • 日本語
  • بالعربية
  • Українська
  • Português (Brasil)