Defence technology startup Origin Robotics has introduced BLAZE, an autonomous drone countermeasure designed to neutralize fast-moving aerial threats with speed and precision.
The new system, equipped with AI-powered computer vision, aims to bridge the gap between traditional gun-based defenses and costly missile interceptors by offering a cost-effective solution tailored for modern battlefield challenges.
In a recent press release, Agris Kipurs, CEO and co-founder of Origin Robotics, explained that BLAZE was developed as a “fast, smart, and affordable solution” to the rising threat of inexpensive drones used to “overwhelm defenses and strike targets both near and far.”
According to the press release, BLAZE is a portable, rapidly deployable system capable of intercepting high-speed aerial threats. It combines radar detection with AI-enabled computer vision for autonomous target tracking, while still allowing the operator to approve or abort each engagement, reducing the risk of friendly fire and collateral damage. The drone can be launched in under five minutes, with subsequent launches ready in less than a minute, and its compact design doubles as a transport and charging case.
The interceptor drone features a high-explosive fragmentation warhead, designed to enable precise strikes that can destroy targets either upon impact or via airburst detonation in contested environments. The system’s operator-supervised autonomy aims to ensure final control remains with the user, allowing for immediate engagement or target abandonment as needed.
The company has so far received a research and development contract from the Latvian Ministry of Defense and a grant from the European Defence Fund to develop its autonomous aerial systems.
Crédit photographique : Origin Robotics.
