Motorola Solutions has completed its acquisition of counter-drone technology company D-Fend Solutions for $1.5 billion, expanding its public safety and critical infrastructure portfolio with technology designed to safely neutralize unauthorized drones.
The acquisition gives Motorola Solutions access to D-Fend’s counter-unmanned aerial systems technology, which uses radio-frequency cyber capabilities to identify and take control of rogue drones.
Rather than relying primarily on jamming or kinetic interception, D-Fend’s technology can take control of an unauthorized drone and direct it to land safely in a designated area.
This approach is designed to neutralize drone threats while limiting interference with authorized drones and local communications infrastructure. It can also reduce the potential for collateral damage or operational disruptions that can accompany other counter-drone methods.
D-Fend’s technology has been deployed in more than 30 countries and is used by government agencies, public safety organizations and enterprises.
Its systems have been deployed across airports, critical infrastructure facilities, stadiums, military bases and border environments.
Motorola Solutions plans to integrate D-Fend’s technology into its broader public safety ecosystem, creating an air-to-ground security offering that can provide front-line personnel and operators with greater situational awareness of potential aerial threats.
The combined platform is intended to help customers identify unauthorized drones, evaluate the risks they present and, where legally permitted, mitigate those threats.
Motorola Solutions also expects its global customer relationships and distribution capabilities to accelerate adoption of D-Fend’s counter-drone technology across public safety, federal government and enterprise markets.
D-Fend will continue to be led by co-founder and CEO Zohar Halachmi.
Halachmi will also become senior vice president of Counter-Drone Solutions at Motorola Solutions and will lead the company’s counter-drone platform.
The $1.5 billion transaction strengthens Motorola Solutions’ position in the rapidly expanding counter-UAS market as governments, airports, military organizations, infrastructure operators and other organizations seek new ways to address increasingly capable commercial and autonomous drones.
Drones can create security risks around sensitive infrastructure, large public gatherings, airports and military installations, creating demand for technology capable of distinguishing legitimate drone activity from potentially hostile or unauthorized aircraft.
D-Fend’s RF cyber-takeover approach provides Motorola Solutions with a differentiated method of addressing those threats without necessarily disabling broader communications systems or physically destroying an aircraft.
The acquisition also expands Motorola Solutions’ broader strategy of combining communications, video security, command-center software and intelligence technologies into integrated public safety and security platforms.
By incorporating counter-drone capabilities into that ecosystem, Motorola Solutions can extend its security coverage from ground-based environments into surrounding airspace.
KEY QUOTES:
“Safety on the ground demands security in the air. D-Fend’s field-proven counter-drone technology is a powerful complement to our mission-critical ecosystem, providing differentiated airspace protection for our customers around the world.”
Greg Brown, Chairman And CEO Of Motorola Solutions
“Joining Motorola Solutions marks an exciting new chapter for D-Fend and the customers we serve. By combining our RF cyber technology with Motorola Solutions’ trusted global reach, we plan to scale faster and transform how airspace is protected worldwide.”
Zohar Halachmi, Co-Founder And CEO Of D-Fend Solutions
