Xtend (company)
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| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | |
| Headquarters | Israel |
Xtend is an Israel-based international military technology company and defense contractor that focuses on designing and manufacturing drones that operate mostly autonomously but with high-level human supervision. It was founded by brothers Aviv and Matteo Shapira[1]. Its drones are made to require less training to operate than other brands of military drone, through the use of AI for autonomy and VR headsets for supervision and control.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal in 2023[2], Xtend's CEO Aviv Shapira said that they began working with the IDF several years previously to strike down incendiary balloons with quadcopter drones.
Xtend raised $40M in Series B financing in 2024 after their drones were successfully used by the IDF in the 2024 Israel–Hamas war[3]. The Israeli newspaper Globes reported in 2024 that the Israeli Ministry of Defense is working with Xtend to build a factory in the south of Israel "which will have a weekly production capacity of hundreds of drones"[4].
Xtend also struck multiple contracts with the US Department of Defense including a $9M deal with its irregular warfare office.[5]
References[edit]
- ^ Wiggers, Kyle (8 May 2024). "Controversial drone company Xtend leans into defense with new $40 million round". TechCrunch.
- ^ Lieber, Dov. "Small Drones Are Helping Israel Navigate the Urban Battlefield in Gaza". WSJ.
- ^ "Xtend raises $40m after drone success in Gaza". Globes. 5 August 2024.
- ^ "IDF procurement of Chinese drones raises concerns". Globes. 25 April 2024.
- ^ Frantzman, Seth (17 October 2022). "Xtend signs $9M drone deal with Pentagon's irregular warfare office". Defense News.