Startup bags $7M to build drone-interceptor-in-a-backpack systems

A defense startup has raised $7 million to develop its counter-drone system that uses small interceptors to defend against swarms of FPV (First-Person View) drones, the kind causing heavy battlefield casualties in Ukraine. San Francisco-based Mara says it has secured the funding to bring its Spike drone defense system to market …

[dbayly]

Big fleas have little fleas

And so the attacking drones evolved tiny point defence drones that targeted the drone-interceptor ......

and defence firms laughed all the way to the bank

[Paul Herber]

Re: Big fleas have little fleas

Soon the names of these devices will have to take names appropriate for their size:

Mosquito, Hornet, Gnat, Dragonfly, Firefly, and probably more ...

All taken.

[retiredFool]

Re: Big fleas have little fleas

I like hornet and add bee, wasp, yellow jacket. Things that sting.

[just4this]

Re: Big fleas have little fleas

Electric fly swatters seem like they way to go.

[Tom Chiverton 1]

Uh huh ? And how much is an interceptor per-shot ? That's the important number ...

[Paul Herber]

"Startup bags $7M"

That's all very well but she'll want shoes and a new outfit to go with it.

[retiredFool]

What strikes me is only 7M. For something that could have real impact in a real war. Add what 5 zeroes if you want to talk about an AI co with unknown value.

[cyberdemon]

I guess because the AI Ponzi schemers have sucked dry most of the available startup capital..

The bankers will want their returns, from whomever can pay, and mortgages may be next.

[david 12]

Costs are down.

Not battleships. Not knights. Now just infantry.

[Mickey Porkpies]

too big too slow

defence companies cant design test and implement quick enough and whilst this is a great piece of kit will take too long to get to market. Ukraine has shown the pace and type of tech for this profile changes daily/weekly/monthly not something western development can keep up with or monetise. This will end up a £200k piece of kit that will be outgunned before it see's the battlefield.

[IGotOut]

Re: too big too slow

Go back, read full article.

"Most recently, Ukrainian forces operated Spotter near to the front line in their country, where it tracked multiple FPV drones."

[herman]

Re: too big too slow

Lots of "Ukrainian" drones are actually made elsewhere in Europe.

[Anonymous Coward]

7M for a cast net or 7M for the guts from an old microwake and a deep cycle battery? I wish I had those kind of ideas.

[hri]

bang

Seven million ... is a lot for a 10-gauge Italian goose-gun. Are price-savvy drones any smarter/faster/smaller than geese ?

[Anonymous Coward]

Does it jam wired drones?

[IGotOut]

Yes.