Ondas Holdings has announced an expansion of its initial purchase order from a major military customer for the Iron Drone Raider counter-drone systems. This expanded order highlights the immediate deployment needs and includes enhanced features and support services to strengthen military defence operations against hostile drones.

The Iron Drone Raider, described by Ondas as one of the most advanced counter-drone solutions available globally, is designed with the purpose of protecting borders, critical infrastructure and defence forces from the growing threat of hostile drones.

Eric Brock, Chairman and CEO of Ondas, emphasised the importance of this expansion:

We received our initial Iron Drone Raider order directly from a military customer last month, and now this customer has extended its order to include more specific capabilities to support these upcoming operations.”

“Ondas is positioning itself as a prime defence contractor in an emerging, and rapidly growing counter-UAS market with a large total addressable market. This expansion order demonstrates the high and urgent demand for our high-performance systems in response to the rapidly growing threat posed by hostile drones.”

AI-enabled drone capture

The Iron Drone Raider system has been engineered to neutralise a wide range of drone threats, regardless of their navigation methods. Utilising a high-speed interceptor drone equipped with advanced AI-enabled sensors, the Raider autonomously tracks and incapacitates hostile drones using a net, ensuring minimal collateral damage.

Les captured drone is then safely lowered to the ground via a parachute, allowing for a controlled descent. The system’s docking station, capable of storing and launching up to five Raider drones simultaneously, ensures readiness for continuous operation.

The backdrop of rising global tensions and conflicts has underscored the increasing use of small, hostile drones for surveillance and attacks, driving the urgent need for sophisticated countermeasures. Ondas’ Iron Drone Raider system stands out for its fully automated, AI-driven approach, compared to traditional methods, which often involve significant collateral damage.

As the demand for counter-UAS solutions grows, particularly from government and military sectors, Ondas anticipates further volume orders in the latter half of 2024, driven by the combat success of the Iron Drone Raider systems. While defence and homeland security currently dominate the market, Ondas predicts significant growth in commercial sectors as drone threats and regulations evolve, particularly in protecting infrastructures critiques and industrial assets.

To meet this anticipated demand, an Ondas subsidiary is actively increasing its manufacturing capacity to support the deployment of Iron Drone Raider systems across these rapidly expanding markets.

Crédit photographique : Ondas