XTEND drones can be configured with AI Pilots whose capabilities depend on the tactical needs of the specific mission. | Credit: XTEND
XTEND Reality Inc. has signed a multi-million-dollar, fixed-price contract with the U.S. Department of War, or DoW, to begin production of one-way attack drone kits. One-way attack drones are expendable unmanned aerial vehicles typically equipped with an integrated warhead. They can loiter in the air until they identify a target, and then be instructed to attack the target.
The company, which extended its Series B fundraising in July, said its swarm technology enables a single operator to launch and control multiple drones. The swarm can support ground troops or function independently.
“Our XOS unifies sensors, radars, payloads, and third-party features and apps into a single AI-driven mission backbone,” said Rubi Liani, co-founder and chief technology officer. “This program extends that advantage deeper into complex terrain, scaling both precision and survivability through fully coordinated swarm behavior.”
XTEND applies lessons from recent conflicts
XTEND co-founder and CEO Aviv Shapira told The Robot Report that the company has directly incorporated lessons learned from recent conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine into its new drone swarm architecture. The architecture includes:
- Safety and certification: XTEND said its ESAD (Electronic Safe & Arm Detonation Devices) high-voltage fuse-safety board approval is a key differentiator.
- Drone versatility: The company has created different drone types for specific missions to address the limitations of standard FPV (first-person view) drones.
- Operational flexibility: The new system allows a single operator to control multiple drones with different capabilities, using AI pilots that can be configured for specific tasks.
- Tactical deployment: XTEND developed a modular nest system that can be placed in various locations, making drone deployment more adaptable. It also offers a modular vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and munitions kit.
- Mission complexity: The system can now execute complex missions with multiple drones working together, replacing human soldiers in dangerous scenarios.
The nest can be delivered on the back of a truck and then be autonomously deployed by a remote operator who is monitoring the infield situation. This allows the drones to quickly get into the air and be able to support a given mission, said XTEND. Each nest contains a single drone.
XTEND drones are contained within a nest until deployed onto the battle field. | Credit: XTEND
Defense drones to be made in the U.S.
Under the contract with the DoW, the drones will be manufactured at XTEND’s U.S. headquarters in Tampa Bay, Fla. The fleet includes cost-effective drones specialized for indoor and outdoor operations, plus mothership drones managing mesh communications and battle damage assessment.
According to Shapira, an AI pilot is a configurable software module with specific skills or capabilities that can be turned on or off for different drone missions. Examples include:
- An AI pilot that can find a rocket launcher and intercept it
- A “follow the leader” AI pilot that can make drones follow a primary drone
- AI pilots that can handle communication resilience by doing things like hopping frequencies rapidly
The operator configures each drone with the appropriate AI pilot depending on the mission at hand. The drones can use both hardened radio frequency communications and fiber-optic cable for communication in areas where enemy jamming is a potential obstacle.
“With all the advancements in AI, you can actually tell five drones or 100 drones, ‘Go to this neighborhood and look for a suspicious target. If you find someone, let me know,'” said Shapira.
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