Auterion said its software suite enables users to visualize data and process information captured during a mission in real time, including flight logs. | Source: Auterion
Auterion LLC today announced that it has raised $130 million in Series B funding. The provider of software for autonomous defense systems said the funding will accelerate its mission to “build swarms, not individual drones” by scaling production of its AuterionOS platform and Nemyx defense system.
The company said its platforms turn autonomous drones into coordinated swarms that can operate across air, land, and sea domains.
“The future of warfare is software-defined, unmanned, and at scale,” stated Lorenz Meier, Auterion’s founder and CEO. “Auterion’s customers are taking the lessons from Ukraine and applying them to deploying drone swarms.”
“Decisive advantage on the battlefield won’t be achieved by individual drones – it’ll be achieved by autonomous mass,” he asserted. “This funding will allow us to provide Auterion’s AI-enabled swarming capabilities to democratic governments around the world who need to develop those capabilities at scale.“
Arlington, Va.-based Auterion said its AuterionOS powers a global network of drones deployed in real-world operations. With an EU base in Munich, Germany, the company said it provides scalable autonomous systems to allied defense forces worldwide.
Bessemer Venture Partners led the Series B round. As part of this investment round, Bessemer partner Alex Ferrara will join Auterion’s board. The round also includes participation of existing investors Lakestar, Mosaic Ventures, and Costanoa Ventures.
Out of the $130 million, the U.S. Department of War provided $25 million. Specifically, the non-dilutive capital was backed by Office of Strategic Capital and provided by Rochefort.
AI is transforming battlefield operations
Auterion said the fundraising demonstrates investor confidence that AI-enabled software will transform the battlefield by powering commercial low-cost hardware at scale. The company said it hopes to take a leadership role by supporting the U.S. and its allies.
It cited Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which it said has forced the allied defense industry to ramp up production. Auterion claimed that current and future combatants will gain an advantage by combining AI with commercial technology to deploy large drone swarms and overwhelm defenses.
Lower costs have accelerated this transition, meaning that drones can meet heightened manufacturing demands, said Auterion. The company said its open platform enables this shift. It noted that its technology has already been deployed in Ukraine.
“The war in Ukraine has demonstrated that advancements in AI combined with commercially available hardware has changed the nature and economics of warfare, enabling new defensive and offensive capabilities at lower cost,” explained Ferrara. “Auterion is at the forefront of this seismic shift, as the defense industry switches from peacetime artisan hardware to wartime mass production to defend democratic allies from foreign aggressors.“
Auterion OS turns individual drones into coordinated swarms
Auterion said it has evolved from its autopilot origins to become the operating system for autonomous mass operations. AuterionOS provides an interoperable platform that aims to unify fleets from multiple manufacturers into a single, coordinated fabric. It enables one operator to control many autonomous vehicles simultaneously.
The company also offers Skynode X, a fully integrated autopilot and mission computer to enable any drone with Auterion OS. Austerion said it adds AI-powered autonomy, secure communications, and edge computing capabilities to existing platforms.
The technology enables vehicles to lock onto targets and complete missions even when GPS and video links are jammed, it said. The company has tested these capabilities in real combat conditions.
Auterion also said its Skynode systems are priced comparably to consumer electronics while delivering defense-grade performance, enabling even smaller nations and organizations to deploy capable autonomous fleets.
Unlike proprietary systems that lock customers into single-vendor solutions, Auterion said its open architecture enables interoperability across manufacturers and platforms. This approach has attracted partnerships with major defense contractors, it said. This includes Rheinmetall, Lockheed Martin, and aerospace manufacturers across the U.S., Europe, and allied nations.
In Ukraine, Auterion’s technology is involved in autonomous drone operations in active combat. Under a recent Pentagon contract, the company is delivering tens of thousands of AI “strike kits” to Ukrainian forces.
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