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Forbes
09-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Defense Tech Boom: Autonomous Drones, Lasers, And Hypersonic Missiles
(Photo by YELIM LEE/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images As some of the market's biggest tech names lose steam, investors are turning to less crowded corners of the high-tech sector where growth and disruption remain alive and well. Global defense stocks have rocketed higher in 2025, particularly those focusing on AI applications and other cutting-edge defense technology. These weapons are changing the way wars are fought and are having an equally significant impact on the way the Defense Department spends its enormous budget. The implications are both exciting and frightening. Rising global defense budgets have contributed to renewed demand for traditional defense assets, such as fighter jets, ballistic missiles, and armored vehicles and tanks, made by industry's incumbents such as Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Boeing. However, innovation in many weapons technologies, led by relative newcomers such as Anduril and Shield AI, will see a growing share of funds to promote development of futuristic weapons such as autonomous drone swarms, lasers that can shoot down small aircraft, and hypersonic missiles that glide undetected through the atmosphere at more than five times the speed of sound. Here are a few of the latest technologies and their impact on modern warfare. Autonomous drones powered by artificial intelligence are changing the way battles are fought. Real-time innovations coming from the front lines of the Russia-Ukraine war highlight the evolving capabilities of drone technology. By enhancing surveillance, reconnaissance, and logistics operations, these unmanned systems can identify enemy positions, deliver precision-guided strikes, and carry out high-risk missions without endangering human lives. Imagine dozens of quadcopter drones launched from the back of moving remote-controlled vehicles, each loaded with different types of explosives, sent on a coordinated attack of military camp in a remote location. Anyone who has seen a drone 4th of July light show can attest to the operational capabilities of hundreds of swarming drones powered by artificial intelligence. Several innovative companies are driving the next generation of drones. For example, Shield AI, a San Diego-based defense private tech startup, specializes in the development of affordable unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS. Shield AI's flagship product, Hivemind, utilizes AI software that enables drones and other autonomous systems to operate without the need for GPS. Each drone creates a geographic map using onboard sensors and cameras, allowing it to evade anti-drone frequency-jamming defenses. In addition to its AI drones, the company has developed other powerful crewless vehicles, such as the V-BAT drone. The V-BAT, which weighs 125 pounds and is 9 feet long, can be deployed within fifteen minutes by a three-person team and be launched vertically from a boat or the top of a building. The V-BAT also utilizes the Hivemind AI software and is already being deployed in Ukraine to assist in surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The battlefield of the future is likely to see even greater integration of autonomous systems. Other potential use cases include AI-enabled drones flying alongside piloted fighter jets, as well as AI-piloted F-16s designed for human-machine dogfighting. The Air Force is already preparing for a fleet of over 1,000 AI-enabled UAS that is expected to be operational by 2028. The role of these aerial and ground-based autonomous systems in the military is likely to expand over the next decade, particularly as costs decrease and capabilities improve. Hypersonic weapons have been part of the military arsenal for a long time, but new technologies offer enhanced speed, maneuverability, and unpredictability. A predictable missile flight makes it easier for enemy forces to intercept and counter an attack. Unlike traditional ballistic missiles that follow predetermined arcs, hypersonic glide vehicles, known as HGVs, and hypersonic cruise missiles, referred to as HCMs, can maneuver mid-flight at speeds exceeding Mach 5. HGVs are launched by rockets and glide toward targets, while HCMs use air-breathing engines to maintain hypersonic speeds. With adversaries like China and Russia aggressively pursuing these technologies, the U.S. has committed significant resources to developing its own capabilities, with the Department of Defense requesting $6.9 billion in R&D for hypersonic weapons in 2025, up from $4.7 billion in FY 2023. One of the most disruptive hypersonic missile manufacturers is Anduril Industries. Its founder, Palmer Luckey, the creator of Oculus VR, is changing the way rockets are designed and manufactured. Unlike legacy defense contractors, which have struggled to meet demand for high-performance rocket launchers, Anduril is an independent supplier that pushes innovation through single-flow manufacturing. This manufacturing process, employed by successful companies such as Toyota Motor, can reduce inventory costs, enhance quality, increase flexibility, and boost productivity. Similar to Shield AI, the company is known just as much for its software as it is for its hardware. Using its proprietary software, Lattice, which has both commercial and military applications, the company produces high-performance propulsion systems at a fraction of the cost of existing systems. For example, its Barracuda product line claims to use up to 50% fewer parts and 95% fewer tools, leading to a 30% reduction in per-unit missile cost, according to Air and Space Forces Magazine. The Barracuda-250 has a range exceeding 370 kilometers when air-launched and over 278 kilometers when ground-launched, with a payload capacity of 16 kilograms. The missiles can be launched from fighter jets, helicopters, drones, surface vessels, or ground-based launchers. The military views Anduril missiles as a more affordable and readily available alternative to existing cruise missiles, allowing for larger stockpiles and faster production in the event of a prolonged conflict. Global growth in hypersonic weapons means the U.S. must develop appropriate defensive systems alongside its offensive capabilities. Trump's Golden Dome executive order is one example. Ordered in January, the Golden Dome initiative aims to defend the United States "against ballistic, hypersonic, advanced cruise missiles, and other next-generation aerial attacks from peer, near-peer, and rogue adversaries." The project envisions a network of hundreds of orbiting satellites to detect, track, and potentially intercept incoming missiles. Existing missile defense systems rely on ground-based radars and interceptors. In contrast, the Golden Dome would utilize surveillance and attack satellites to create a layer of protection, transforming space into the next battleground in missile defense. Directed energy weapons, known in military circles as DEWs, are high-tech systems that once belonged in the world of science fiction but are quickly becoming battlefield reality. DEWs use concentrated energy to neutralize threats. These technologies fall into two main categories: high-energy lasers, which emit focused beams of photons; and high-power microwaves, which shoot radio-frequency waves to disrupt or destroy electronics. Lasers offer high accuracy and low-cost deployment, making them especially effective in prolonged air, sea, and space-based warfare. On the other hand, microwaves can stealthily disable electronics in drones, radio-controlled bombs, or radar systems from a distance. The military is already using these technologies. For example, the U.S. Navy has equipped destroyers with 150-kilowatt laser systems capable of shooting down drones, small boats, and mortar rounds, while the Army's 50kW DE M-SHORAD system arms Stryker armored vehicles to defend ground assets from unmanned aircraft, rockets, and artillery fire. One of the biggest advantages of laser systems is cost. As long as there is a power source, a laser can fire repeatedly, making it a more affordable option than million-dollar missiles. It's real-world Space Invaders for those who remember the popular arcade game from the 1970s. Microwaves, on the other hand, are particularly useful in drone defense. Epirus, a California-based startup, has developed Leonides, a microwave defense system that utilizes powerful electromagnetic pulses to disrupt electronic devices. This transportable, affordable technology can be used to counter drone swarms rather than relying on expensive kinetic counter-attack measures. As DEWs become more powerful and pervasive, they will likely alter battlefield tactics and force the development of new defense strategies. Their invisible operation makes early detection difficult, while their precision and speed could make traditional interceptors and armored systems obsolete. However, their use raises logistical challenges such as the providing continuous power sources to meet the massive power demands of high-output lasers. The Department of Defense is addressing this issue via its Project Pele, which is a program to develop mobile nuclear microreactors. The rise of directed energy weapons necessitates new kinds of protection for vehicles, hardened electronics, and counter-DEW systems. Investment in both offensive and defensive directed energy weapons technology will be critical for any military to remain competitive. Compared to the existing arsenal of conventional weapons, DEWs offer precision, discretion, cost advantages, and additional range — and the technology is improving every year. These technological advancements, along with a global rearmament movement, have brought global defense stocks back into the limelight. According to a December 2024 analysis by Global X, global defense expenditures are expected to increase by approximately 40% from 2023 to 2030. Publicly traded defense stocks are rallying in anticipation of higher revenues and profits. For example, tech-driven firm Palantir Technologies has seen a nearly 70% surge in 2025. Some non-U.S. defense stocks are doing even better. Rheinmetall is benefiting from Germany's commitment to rearm its military, with its stock price rising nearly 200% year to date. Investors seeking broad exposure to the sector may consider the Global X Defense Tech ETF, ticker SHLD. SHLD, which has returned 56% in 2025, targets companies at the intersection of defense and technology. Its top holdings include BAE Systems, Rheinmetall, Lockheed Martin, and Palantir. Unfortunately, companies like Shield AI and Anduril are private and not readily accessible to retail investors, although both have seen strong valuations in their latest capital raises. Anduril, for example, just announced a $2.5 billion raise at a $30.5 billion valuation, more than double the company's previous valuation. Palmer Luckey's view of the future resonates with investors. 'AI is the only possible way we can keep up with China's numerical advantage,' Luckey said in an April 2025 TED talk. 'We don't want to throw millions of people into the fight like they do. We can't do it, and we shouldn't do it. AI software allows us to build a different kind of force, one that isn't limited by cost or complexity or population or manpower, but instead by adaptability, scale and speed of manufacturing.' The global defense tech rally is more than just an investment trend. It provides a glimpse into the future of warfare, where software, autonomy, and energy-based systems drive military superiority. The transformation underway is mind-boggling. Technologies such as AI-powered drones, precision hypersonic missiles, and directed-energy weapons promise better outcomes while also providing the potential to reduce casualties and promote deterrence. However, this future carries unsettling implications. It's possible that autonomous systems that reduce risk for soldiers can make armed conflict easier to wage. The same hypersonic missiles that deter aggression from other countries may fall into the hands of non-state actors who are unconcerned about retaliation. And while lasers and microwaves may offer clean, tactical alternatives to kinetic force, they open the door to a new arms race and their invisibility creates challenges in attribution and accountability. For example, if a commercial airline is shot down with a laser, it's much harder to identify the culprit. In that sense, the rapid pace of defense innovation is both exciting and frightening. Investors may see opportunities in the companies driving defense innovation, but policymakers must consider the ethical and geopolitical ramifications. In the same way that consumer technology has changed the way we live and work, defense technology will have an equally large impact on how we fight and defend.
Bloomberg
04-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Deliveroo Launches Drone Food Delivery Service in Dublin
Deliveroo has launched an autonomous drone food delivery service in Dublin in partnership with Irish firm Manna Drones Inc. As part of the partnership, Deliveroo customers in some areas of the suburbs of west Dublin will have the option to have their order delivered by drone, the company said Thursday. It will conduct a test phase in the coming weeks to assess how the drones can help serve suburban locations.
Associated Press
04-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Maxar and Saab Agree Strategic Partnership to Develop Multi-Domain Battlespace Solutions and Advance Europe's Space-Based Capabilities
WESTMINSTER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 4, 2025-- Maxar Intelligence, the leading provider of secure, precise geospatial insights, today announced a strategic partnership with Saab to jointly develop next-generation multi-domain battlespace solutions, with a specific focus on advanced space-based C5ISR systems (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) for the digital battlefield and GPS resilience for autonomous drone systems. These solutions will help Europe accelerate the development of more advanced sovereign space-based capabilities. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: Maxar Intelligence and Saab are partnering to develop next-generation battlespace solutions. Using Maxar's industry-leading geospatial intelligence products and its Raptor technology, the two partners will develop new technologies for advanced C5ISR and effective operation of autonomous drone systems in GPS-denied environments. (Graphic: Maxar Intelligence) Through a Teaming Agreement, Saab can access Maxar's geospatial intelligence and advanced mission products like Raptor, as well as draw upon the company's technical expertise. The deal expands on Maxar's existing relationship with Saab, which has most recently focused on deploying Maxar's Raptor product for autonomous drone navigation and operation in GPS-denied environments. 'This partnership will bring together Maxar's industry-leading geospatial intelligence products with Saab's highly advanced defense systems to solve some of the most complex tactical and operational challenges across the battlespace today—from powering more intelligent, real-time multi-domain command and control systems to helping autonomous systems overcome GPS jamming,' said Dan Smoot, Maxar Intelligence CEO. 'The deal also reflects the growing realization that geospatial intelligence can go beyond powering analyst workflows to powering mission-focused software products deployed at the tactical edge.' 'And, most importantly, our partnership with Saab underscores Maxar's deep commitment to supporting our international customers as they continue to build up their sovereign defense capabilities, both in Europe and across the globe,' Smoot continued. The agreement builds on successful joint testing of Maxar's Raptor software product. The technology was tested with Saab in multiple countries, including a demo in real-world conditions where the product demonstrated the ability to accurately extract ground coordinates within an accuracy of less than 2 m. 'Our collaboration with Maxar represents a significant leap forward in our commitment to use information from the Space domain and thereby enhancing the strategic defense capabilities of Europe and beyond,' says Görgen Johansson, head of Saab business area Dynamics. 'By integrating Maxar's high-end geospatial insights and satellite capabilities with our advanced defense systems, we are setting new standards in the effectiveness and reliability of military operations across multiple domains.' Maxar's geospatial intelligence products will also help Saab build more advanced C5ISR solutions through secure access to the most advanced commercial satellite imagery in near real-time. Maxar's global 3D terrain data unlocks unique opportunities for real-time multi-source data fusion, enabling truly joint multi-domain operations, seamless interoperability between autonomous systems and enhanced mission coordination. About Maxar Intelligence Maxar Intelligence is a leading provider of secure, precise geospatial insights. Operating the most advanced commercial Earth observation constellation on orbit, we use the power of very high-resolution satellite imagery and software technology to deliver mission success on Earth and in space. Our secure, AI-powered products and services deliver ground truth in near real-time to keep nations safe, improve navigation, protect our planet, speed up disaster response and more. For more information, visit View source version on CONTACT: Media Contact: Tomi Maxted Maxar Intelligence [email protected] KEYWORD: COLORADO EUROPE UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TECHNOLOGY SECURITY SATELLITE AEROSPACE MANUFACTURING SOFTWARE NETWORKS INTERNET DATA MANAGEMENT SOURCE: Maxar Intelligence Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 06/04/2025 06:30 AM/DISC: 06/04/2025 06:28 AM
Associated Press
19-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Swarmer and SpiderOak Partner to Secure Autonomous Drone Operations in Contested Environments
Strategic collaboration delivers zero-trust security and resiliency for military autonomous swarm operations, including those deployed in electronic warfare zones RESTON, VA / ACCESS Newswire / May 19, 2025 / Swarmer, a leading provider of autonomous drone software, has entered into an agreement with SpiderOak, the leading cybersecurity company powering zero-trust solutions for the tactical edge. As part of the agreement, Swarmer will integrate the SpiderOak platform to provide secure interactions and revocation to its autonomous software platforms. This integration specifically addresses the challenges of securing communications for autonomous fleets operating in contested environments, including electronic warfare zones in Ukraine. Swarmer's technology enables uncrewed air, sea, and ground vehicles to communicate and coordinate autonomously without human intervention, even when GPS and RF communication are jammed. This allows for adaptive mission execution through coordinated swarm formations - allowing one operator to control hundreds of drones. The SpiderOak platform provides a unique combination of security controls plus guaranteed eventual delivery designed for autonomous operations at the tactical edge. With SpiderOak, Swarmer's autonomy software can ensure any to any message exchanges in the formation are authenticated, authorized, and encrypted without additional networking controls or certificate management. The low Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) requirements and decentralized security model eliminate the need for additional infrastructure, making SpiderOak ideal for autonomous operations in challenging environments. 'SpiderOak simplifies how our warfighter replenishes losses in theater ensuring replacements are authenticated and authorized to join the operation, while ensuring that lost and potentially compromised assets are revoked,' said Swarmer's Co-founder and CEO, Sergey Kuprienko. 'Autonomy at the edge brings a new set of security and communication challenges to the digital battlefield, especially with autonomous systems in contested or unreliable environments. Our mesh platform provides zero-trust access control and data exchange without the infrastructure or connectivity overhead that traditional security tools require. We are excited to partner with Swarmer to bring this next generation capability to market,' said Dave Pearah, CEO of SpiderOak. 'As we've seen in contemporary combat, autonomous fleets are significant force multipliers on the modern battlefield-but without robust security, they can become liabilities instead of assets. As missions evolve and new systems are added to the fight, the ability to authorize and authenticate every mission, operator, and data flow in real time will become essential. The integrity, confidentiality, and adaptability of these systems must be baked in from the start. The side that secures its data and controls access dynamically will have a significant competitive advantage,' said Lieutenant General Ken Tovo, U.S. Army (Retired); former Commanding General, US Army Special Operations Command About Swarmer Founded in 2023, Swarmer is revolutionizing autonomous UAS operations on the battlefield with a software system that enables drones (and robots) to operate autonomously and work together in large teams. With the team's background in the world's leading tech companies, and with boots on the ground in real conflict zones, Swarmer's mission is to enable individual operators to control hundreds of drones simultaneously - drones of any manufacturer, type, or purpose. Swarmer's technology allows uncrewed vehicles to be interoperable and work together seamlessly. Learn more at About SpiderOak SpiderOak is a 100% U.S.-owned and operated software company dedicated to solving the computer security challenges of the 21st century. Our technology allows applications to secure all interactions between each other, providing strong assurances of authority and identity and the flexibility to integrate with existing systems, software, and devices beyond centralized cloud services and data centers to the far reaches of the tactical edge. For more information about SpiderOak products, services, or business development opportunities, check us out at Media Contact Escalate PR for SpiderOak [email protected] SOURCE: SpiderOak press release
