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to shoot down ballistic missiles and stuck a laser on top of a Humvee to zap roadside bombs. For more than 50 years, the United States military and its researchers have tried to develop laser weapons. None of them panned out.

But now, the US Army is about to make a working laser weapon an official part of its arsenal. The Pentagon is poised to sign a contract to acquire and rapidly deploy what’s called an Enduring High Energy Laser in and around bases across the world to defend them from drone attacks, according to sources familiar with the matter. The official announcement could come as early as this week. When the deal is signed, it will mark the first time that the US military will have committed to equipping its forces with laser weapons in significant numbers.

“For years, lasers were going to be the future, and they never really came to their own. Now, they’re actually coming to their own,” Mark J. Lewis, the former Air Force chief scientist, tells WIRED.

The Iran and Ukraine wars have shown that drones are now so cheap, so plentiful, and so deadly that they’re impossible to stop with any single countermeasure. Some of the traditional ones have been particularly clunky. During the early days of the Iran conflict, the US even resorted to firing $4 million Patriot missiles at $35,000 Iranian drones—a waste of money, and a move that depleted the American interceptor stockpile.

Modern lasers, on the other hand, never run out of ammunition. “Basically, you can keep firing them as long as you’ve got power,” Lewis says. “There are some other issues with lasers, including how rapidly you can refire and recharge. But if you solve those problems, then suddenly you’ve got a pretty nifty way to help counteract things like a drone swarm attack.”

That’s one reason why the US military, at this moment, has either deployed or is actively testing a half-dozen laser weapons systems, according to the Laser Wars newsletter. The Navy has installed laser “dazzlers” on two of its ships to blind drones’ electro-optical sensors. The Air Force’s command for Europe and Africa has sent Boeing’s Compact Laser Weapons System “to locations across the theater.” In late June, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled to the Army’s test range in White Sands, New Mexico, for a demonstration of all sorts of directed-energy weapon projects.

The deployments haven’t all gone great. Four vehicles equipped with Raytheon air-defense lasers were yanked from the Middle East after poor reviews from soldiers. One laser, built by the defense contractor AeroVironment and positioned along the southern US border, accidentally zapped a party balloon in February, causing the Federal Aviation Administration to briefly close the airspace around El Paso, Texas. Once it was reopened, the laser shot down a Border Patrol drone by mistake.

Despite such mishaps, the Army appears ready to go beyond the one-offs and the experiments. In fact, in some ways, the accidental kill helped make the case for the laser, proving it could actually take out such a drone.

The Pentagon and its suppliers had been scrambling to field something, anything to defend against mass-produced, low-cost attack drones. They’ve rolled out radio frequency jammers, microwave weapons, an array of missiles, drones designed to kill other drones, even copies of the Iranian robots. None of them in isolation have been enough. On March 1, an Iranian drone killed six US service members and injured 30 others.

#Landmark #Deal #Officially #Add #Laser #Weapons #Army #Arsenallasers,drones,weapons and ammo,iran,military,military tech,army"> Landmark Deal Would Officially Add Laser Weapons to US Army ArsenalThey stuffed a real-life ray gun into a 747 to shoot down ballistic missiles and stuck a laser on top of a Humvee to zap roadside bombs. For more than 50 years, the United States military and its researchers have tried to develop laser weapons. None of them panned out.But now, the US Army is about to make a working laser weapon an official part of its arsenal. The Pentagon is poised to sign a contract to acquire and rapidly deploy what’s called an Enduring High Energy Laser in and around bases across the world to defend them from drone attacks, according to sources familiar with the matter. The official announcement could come as early as this week. When the deal is signed, it will mark the first time that the US military will have committed to equipping its forces with laser weapons in significant numbers.“For years, lasers were going to be the future, and they never really came to their own. Now, they’re actually coming to their own,” Mark J. Lewis, the former Air Force chief scientist, tells WIRED.The Iran and Ukraine wars have shown that drones are now so cheap, so plentiful, and so deadly that they’re impossible to stop with any single countermeasure. Some of the traditional ones have been particularly clunky. During the early days of the Iran conflict, the US even resorted to firing million Patriot missiles at ,000 Iranian drones—a waste of money, and a move that depleted the American interceptor stockpile.Modern lasers, on the other hand, never run out of ammunition. “Basically, you can keep firing them as long as you’ve got power,” Lewis says. “There are some other issues with lasers, including how rapidly you can refire and recharge. But if you solve those problems, then suddenly you’ve got a pretty nifty way to help counteract things like a drone swarm attack.”That’s one reason why the US military, at this moment, has either deployed or is actively testing a half-dozen laser weapons systems, according to the Laser Wars newsletter. The Navy has installed laser “dazzlers” on two of its ships to blind drones’ electro-optical sensors. The Air Force’s command for Europe and Africa has sent Boeing’s Compact Laser Weapons System “to locations across the theater.” In late June, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled to the Army’s test range in White Sands, New Mexico, for a demonstration of all sorts of directed-energy weapon projects.The deployments haven’t all gone great. Four vehicles equipped with Raytheon air-defense lasers were yanked from the Middle East after poor reviews from soldiers. One laser, built by the defense contractor AeroVironment and positioned along the southern US border, accidentally zapped a party balloon in February, causing the Federal Aviation Administration to briefly close the airspace around El Paso, Texas. Once it was reopened, the laser shot down a Border Patrol drone by mistake.Despite such mishaps, the Army appears ready to go beyond the one-offs and the experiments. In fact, in some ways, the accidental kill helped make the case for the laser, proving it could actually take out such a drone.The Pentagon and its suppliers had been scrambling to field something, anything to defend against mass-produced, low-cost attack drones. They’ve rolled out radio frequency jammers, microwave weapons, an array of missiles, drones designed to kill other drones, even copies of the Iranian robots. None of them in isolation have been enough. On March 1, an Iranian drone killed six US service members and injured 30 others.#Landmark #Deal #Officially #Add #Laser #Weapons #Army #Arsenallasers,drones,weapons and ammo,iran,military,military tech,army
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to shoot down ballistic missiles and stuck a laser on top of a Humvee to zap roadside bombs. For more than 50 years, the United States military and its researchers have tried to develop laser weapons. None of them panned out.

But now, the US Army is about to make a working laser weapon an official part of its arsenal. The Pentagon is poised to sign a contract to acquire and rapidly deploy what’s called an Enduring High Energy Laser in and around bases across the world to defend them from drone attacks, according to sources familiar with the matter. The official announcement could come as early as this week. When the deal is signed, it will mark the first time that the US military will have committed to equipping its forces with laser weapons in significant numbers.

“For years, lasers were going to be the future, and they never really came to their own. Now, they’re actually coming to their own,” Mark J. Lewis, the former Air Force chief scientist, tells WIRED.

The Iran and Ukraine wars have shown that drones are now so cheap, so plentiful, and so deadly that they’re impossible to stop with any single countermeasure. Some of the traditional ones have been particularly clunky. During the early days of the Iran conflict, the US even resorted to firing $4 million Patriot missiles at $35,000 Iranian drones—a waste of money, and a move that depleted the American interceptor stockpile.

Modern lasers, on the other hand, never run out of ammunition. “Basically, you can keep firing them as long as you’ve got power,” Lewis says. “There are some other issues with lasers, including how rapidly you can refire and recharge. But if you solve those problems, then suddenly you’ve got a pretty nifty way to help counteract things like a drone swarm attack.”

That’s one reason why the US military, at this moment, has either deployed or is actively testing a half-dozen laser weapons systems, according to the Laser Wars newsletter. The Navy has installed laser “dazzlers” on two of its ships to blind drones’ electro-optical sensors. The Air Force’s command for Europe and Africa has sent Boeing’s Compact Laser Weapons System “to locations across the theater.” In late June, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled to the Army’s test range in White Sands, New Mexico, for a demonstration of all sorts of directed-energy weapon projects.

The deployments haven’t all gone great. Four vehicles equipped with Raytheon air-defense lasers were yanked from the Middle East after poor reviews from soldiers. One laser, built by the defense contractor AeroVironment and positioned along the southern US border, accidentally zapped a party balloon in February, causing the Federal Aviation Administration to briefly close the airspace around El Paso, Texas. Once it was reopened, the laser shot down a Border Patrol drone by mistake.

Despite such mishaps, the Army appears ready to go beyond the one-offs and the experiments. In fact, in some ways, the accidental kill helped make the case for the laser, proving it could actually take out such a drone.

The Pentagon and its suppliers had been scrambling to field something, anything to defend against mass-produced, low-cost attack drones. They’ve rolled out radio frequency jammers, microwave weapons, an array of missiles, drones designed to kill other drones, even copies of the Iranian robots. None of them in isolation have been enough. On March 1, an Iranian drone killed six US service members and injured 30 others.

#Landmark #Deal #Officially #Add #Laser #Weapons #Army #Arsenallasers,drones,weapons and ammo,iran,military,military tech,army">Landmark Deal Would Officially Add Laser Weapons to US Army Arsenal

They stuffed a real-life ray gun into a 747 to shoot down ballistic missiles and stuck a laser on top of a Humvee to zap roadside bombs. For more than 50 years, the United States military and its researchers have tried to develop laser weapons. None of them panned out.

But now, the US Army is about to make a working laser weapon an official part of its arsenal. The Pentagon is poised to sign a contract to acquire and rapidly deploy what’s called an Enduring High Energy Laser in and around bases across the world to defend them from drone attacks, according to sources familiar with the matter. The official announcement could come as early as this week. When the deal is signed, it will mark the first time that the US military will have committed to equipping its forces with laser weapons in significant numbers.

“For years, lasers were going to be the future, and they never really came to their own. Now, they’re actually coming to their own,” Mark J. Lewis, the former Air Force chief scientist, tells WIRED.

The Iran and Ukraine wars have shown that drones are now so cheap, so plentiful, and so deadly that they’re impossible to stop with any single countermeasure. Some of the traditional ones have been particularly clunky. During the early days of the Iran conflict, the US even resorted to firing $4 million Patriot missiles at $35,000 Iranian drones—a waste of money, and a move that depleted the American interceptor stockpile.

Modern lasers, on the other hand, never run out of ammunition. “Basically, you can keep firing them as long as you’ve got power,” Lewis says. “There are some other issues with lasers, including how rapidly you can refire and recharge. But if you solve those problems, then suddenly you’ve got a pretty nifty way to help counteract things like a drone swarm attack.”

That’s one reason why the US military, at this moment, has either deployed or is actively testing a half-dozen laser weapons systems, according to the Laser Wars newsletter. The Navy has installed laser “dazzlers” on two of its ships to blind drones’ electro-optical sensors. The Air Force’s command for Europe and Africa has sent Boeing’s Compact Laser Weapons System “to locations across the theater.” In late June, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled to the Army’s test range in White Sands, New Mexico, for a demonstration of all sorts of directed-energy weapon projects.

The deployments haven’t all gone great. Four vehicles equipped with Raytheon air-defense lasers were yanked from the Middle East after poor reviews from soldiers. One laser, built by the defense contractor AeroVironment and positioned along the southern US border, accidentally zapped a party balloon in February, causing the Federal Aviation Administration to briefly close the airspace around El Paso, Texas. Once it was reopened, the laser shot down a Border Patrol drone by mistake.

Despite such mishaps, the Army appears ready to go beyond the one-offs and the experiments. In fact, in some ways, the accidental kill helped make the case for the laser, proving it could actually take out such a drone.

The Pentagon and its suppliers had been scrambling to field something, anything to defend against mass-produced, low-cost attack drones. They’ve rolled out radio frequency jammers, microwave weapons, an array of missiles, drones designed to kill other drones, even copies of the Iranian robots. None of them in isolation have been enough. On March 1, an Iranian drone killed six US service members and injured 30 others.

#Landmark #Deal #Officially #Add #Laser #Weapons #Army #Arsenallasers,drones,weapons and ammo,iran,military,military tech,army

They stuffed a real-life ray gun into a 747 to shoot down ballistic missiles and…

Previously, DoorDash worked with Alphabet’s drone delivery division Wing on a number of pilots in places like Dallas-Fort Worth, Virginia, and Australia. Now the company says it will deploy its own drones, designed specifically for food delivery. The drones will be designed and assembled within the company’s DoorDash Labs division, which houses its robotics and AI teams responsible for building its Dot sidewalk delivery robots.

“We’re designing an aircraft purpose-built for the gaps we see in local commerce, and it complements the short- and long-range designs our partners are scaling,” the company said in a press release. “Our drone is also proudly American-designed and built, with the majority of components made right here in the U.S.” (To be sure, the vast majority of drones are manufactured in China.)

In addition, DoorDash says it will also build all the necessary ground-level infrastructure to enable restaurants to hand off their deliveries to drones. As seen with other drone delivery pilots, there is a complex system of structures and additional equipment that needs to be built on the ground to enable drones to pickup their payloads before embarking on their deliveries. And there are flight plans, airspace management, and drop-off logistics that needs to be established to track the drones in flight. DoorDash says its committed to building all that infrastructure itself.

“The aircraft is what everyone sees,” the company says. “The harder problem is the infrastructure and integration on the ground, and that’s our advantage. Solving hard physical-world problems for local businesses is our focus, from real-time inventory reconciliation to universal handoff systems for drive-throughs, rooftops, or merchant back doors. We are building that complete end-to-end system.”

DoorDash says drone delivery could solve the problem of midrange deliveries that still end up taking longer because couriers are hard to find. The company says more than 20 percent of its orders involve distances of three to five miles, but that those orders can take on average nearly 25 percent longer than shorter deliveries, largely because finding a courier takes longer for these mid-range trips.

“Routing mid-range deliveries to drones lets Dashers focus on the orders they often favor: shorter deliveries that can be done quickly, staying near a high concentration of merchants for optimal routing, and maximizing their earning potential by getting them to their next order faster,” the company says.

DoorDash didn’t reveal which markets it was targeting for its initial launch, noting that it would announce more details in the months to come.

#DoorDash #airborne #drone #delivery #divisionDrones,Food,News,Science,Tech,Transportation"> DoorDash is going airborne with new drone delivery divisionDoorDash is launching a new drone delivery program called DoorDash Air. The largest food delivery app in the US said that it has approval from the Federal Aviation Administration that clears the way for drone delivery in the near future.DoorDash said it has received a Part 135 air carrier certification from the FAA that enable it to delivery small packages via drone. Other companies to receive this designation include Alphabet’s Wing, Zipline, and Amazon.Previously, DoorDash worked with Alphabet’s drone delivery division Wing on a number of pilots in places like Dallas-Fort Worth, Virginia, and Australia. Now the company says it will deploy its own drones, designed specifically for food delivery. The drones will be designed and assembled within the company’s DoorDash Labs division, which houses its robotics and AI teams responsible for building its Dot sidewalk delivery robots.“We’re designing an aircraft purpose-built for the gaps we see in local commerce, and it complements the short- and long-range designs our partners are scaling,” the company said in a press release. “Our drone is also proudly American-designed and built, with the majority of components made right here in the U.S.” (To be sure, the vast majority of drones are manufactured in China.)In addition, DoorDash says it will also build all the necessary ground-level infrastructure to enable restaurants to hand off their deliveries to drones. As seen with other drone delivery pilots, there is a complex system of structures and additional equipment that needs to be built on the ground to enable drones to pickup their payloads before embarking on their deliveries. And there are flight plans, airspace management, and drop-off logistics that needs to be established to track the drones in flight. DoorDash says its committed to building all that infrastructure itself.“The aircraft is what everyone sees,” the company says. “The harder problem is the infrastructure and integration on the ground, and that’s our advantage. Solving hard physical-world problems for local businesses is our focus, from real-time inventory reconciliation to universal handoff systems for drive-throughs, rooftops, or merchant back doors. We are building that complete end-to-end system.”DoorDash says drone delivery could solve the problem of midrange deliveries that still end up taking longer because couriers are hard to find. The company says more than 20 percent of its orders involve distances of three to five miles, but that those orders can take on average nearly 25 percent longer than shorter deliveries, largely because finding a courier takes longer for these mid-range trips.“Routing mid-range deliveries to drones lets Dashers focus on the orders they often favor: shorter deliveries that can be done quickly, staying near a high concentration of merchants for optimal routing, and maximizing their earning potential by getting them to their next order faster,” the company says.DoorDash didn’t reveal which markets it was targeting for its initial launch, noting that it would announce more details in the months to come.#DoorDash #airborne #drone #delivery #divisionDrones,Food,News,Science,Tech,Transportation
Tech-news

Previously, DoorDash worked with Alphabet’s drone delivery division Wing on a number of pilots in places like Dallas-Fort Worth, Virginia, and Australia. Now the company says it will deploy its own drones, designed specifically for food delivery. The drones will be designed and assembled within the company’s DoorDash Labs division, which houses its robotics and AI teams responsible for building its Dot sidewalk delivery robots.

“We’re designing an aircraft purpose-built for the gaps we see in local commerce, and it complements the short- and long-range designs our partners are scaling,” the company said in a press release. “Our drone is also proudly American-designed and built, with the majority of components made right here in the U.S.” (To be sure, the vast majority of drones are manufactured in China.)

In addition, DoorDash says it will also build all the necessary ground-level infrastructure to enable restaurants to hand off their deliveries to drones. As seen with other drone delivery pilots, there is a complex system of structures and additional equipment that needs to be built on the ground to enable drones to pickup their payloads before embarking on their deliveries. And there are flight plans, airspace management, and drop-off logistics that needs to be established to track the drones in flight. DoorDash says its committed to building all that infrastructure itself.

“The aircraft is what everyone sees,” the company says. “The harder problem is the infrastructure and integration on the ground, and that’s our advantage. Solving hard physical-world problems for local businesses is our focus, from real-time inventory reconciliation to universal handoff systems for drive-throughs, rooftops, or merchant back doors. We are building that complete end-to-end system.”

DoorDash says drone delivery could solve the problem of midrange deliveries that still end up taking longer because couriers are hard to find. The company says more than 20 percent of its orders involve distances of three to five miles, but that those orders can take on average nearly 25 percent longer than shorter deliveries, largely because finding a courier takes longer for these mid-range trips.

“Routing mid-range deliveries to drones lets Dashers focus on the orders they often favor: shorter deliveries that can be done quickly, staying near a high concentration of merchants for optimal routing, and maximizing their earning potential by getting them to their next order faster,” the company says.

DoorDash didn’t reveal which markets it was targeting for its initial launch, noting that it would announce more details in the months to come.

#DoorDash #airborne #drone #delivery #divisionDrones,Food,News,Science,Tech,Transportation">DoorDash is going airborne with new drone delivery division

DoorDash is launching a new drone delivery program called DoorDash Air. The largest food delivery app in the US said that it has approval from the Federal Aviation Administration that clears the way for drone delivery in the near future.

DoorDash said it has received a Part 135 air carrier certification from the FAA that enable it to delivery small packages via drone. Other companies to receive this designation include Alphabet’s Wing, Zipline, and Amazon.

Previously, DoorDash worked with Alphabet’s drone delivery division Wing on a number of pilots in places like Dallas-Fort Worth, Virginia, and Australia. Now the company says it will deploy its own drones, designed specifically for food delivery. The drones will be designed and assembled within the company’s DoorDash Labs division, which houses its robotics and AI teams responsible for building its Dot sidewalk delivery robots.

“We’re designing an aircraft purpose-built for the gaps we see in local commerce, and it complements the short- and long-range designs our partners are scaling,” the company said in a press release. “Our drone is also proudly American-designed and built, with the majority of components made right here in the U.S.” (To be sure, the vast majority of drones are manufactured in China.)

In addition, DoorDash says it will also build all the necessary ground-level infrastructure to enable restaurants to hand off their deliveries to drones. As seen with other drone delivery pilots, there is a complex system of structures and additional equipment that needs to be built on the ground to enable drones to pickup their payloads before embarking on their deliveries. And there are flight plans, airspace management, and drop-off logistics that needs to be established to track the drones in flight. DoorDash says its committed to building all that infrastructure itself.

“The aircraft is what everyone sees,” the company says. “The harder problem is the infrastructure and integration on the ground, and that’s our advantage. Solving hard physical-world problems for local businesses is our focus, from real-time inventory reconciliation to universal handoff systems for drive-throughs, rooftops, or merchant back doors. We are building that complete end-to-end system.”

DoorDash says drone delivery could solve the problem of midrange deliveries that still end up taking longer because couriers are hard to find. The company says more than 20 percent of its orders involve distances of three to five miles, but that those orders can take on average nearly 25 percent longer than shorter deliveries, largely because finding a courier takes longer for these mid-range trips.

“Routing mid-range deliveries to drones lets Dashers focus on the orders they often favor: shorter deliveries that can be done quickly, staying near a high concentration of merchants for optimal routing, and maximizing their earning potential by getting them to their next order faster,” the company says.

DoorDash didn’t reveal which markets it was targeting for its initial launch, noting that it would announce more details in the months to come.

#DoorDash #airborne #drone #delivery #divisionDrones,Food,News,Science,Tech,Transportation

DoorDash is launching a new drone delivery program called DoorDash Air. The largest food delivery…

Helsing is reportedly close to raising a new $1.2 billion round at about an $18 billion valuation. The round is expected to be led by Dragoneer and co-led by existing Helsing investor Lightspeed, the Financial Times reported.

Helsing last raised just under a year ago, in June 2025, in a deal that was led by billionaire Spotify founder Daniel Ek. That was a €600 million investment at an estimated €12 billion valuation ($14 billion USD). So this new round is a step-up.

While Helsing isn’t the only European unicorn defense tech, it is by far the one that investors deem the most valuable. For instance, German drone maker Quantum Systems raised €180 million in November, which valued it at more than €3 billion. And a year ago, Lisbon-headquartered Tekever raised £400 million at a valuation above £1 billion. Amid Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, the proving ground for new technologies, autonomous defense startups have become a hot area for VCs.

Helsing, Dragoneer, and Lightspeed could not be immediately reached for comment.

#Daniel #Ekbacked #defense #tech #Helsing #raise #1.2B #18B #valuation #TechCrunchdrones,Fundraise,helsing"> Daniel Ek-backed defense tech Helsing to raise .2B at B valuation | TechCrunch Five-year-old European military drone startup Helsing is reportedly close to raising a new .2 billion round at about an billion valuation. The round is expected to be led by Dragoneer and co-led by existing Helsing investor Lightspeed, the Financial Times reported. Helsing last raised just under a year ago, in June 2025, in a deal that was led by billionaire Spotify founder Daniel Ek. That was a €600 million investment at an estimated €12 billion valuation ( billion USD). So this new round is a step-up. While Helsing isn’t the only European unicorn defense tech, it is by far the one that investors deem the most valuable. For instance, German drone maker Quantum Systems raised €180 million in November, which valued it at more than €3 billion. And a year ago, Lisbon-headquartered Tekever raised £400 million at a valuation above £1 billion. Amid Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, the proving ground for new technologies, autonomous defense startups have become a hot area for VCs. Helsing, Dragoneer, and Lightspeed could not be immediately reached for comment. #Daniel #Ekbacked #defense #tech #Helsing #raise #1.2B #18B #valuation #TechCrunchdrones,Fundraise,helsing
Tech-news

Helsing is reportedly close to raising a new $1.2 billion round at about an $18 billion valuation. The round is expected to be led by Dragoneer and co-led by existing Helsing investor Lightspeed, the Financial Times reported.

Helsing last raised just under a year ago, in June 2025, in a deal that was led by billionaire Spotify founder Daniel Ek. That was a €600 million investment at an estimated €12 billion valuation ($14 billion USD). So this new round is a step-up.

While Helsing isn’t the only European unicorn defense tech, it is by far the one that investors deem the most valuable. For instance, German drone maker Quantum Systems raised €180 million in November, which valued it at more than €3 billion. And a year ago, Lisbon-headquartered Tekever raised £400 million at a valuation above £1 billion. Amid Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, the proving ground for new technologies, autonomous defense startups have become a hot area for VCs.

Helsing, Dragoneer, and Lightspeed could not be immediately reached for comment.

#Daniel #Ekbacked #defense #tech #Helsing #raise #1.2B #18B #valuation #TechCrunchdrones,Fundraise,helsing">Daniel Ek-backed defense tech Helsing to raise $1.2B at $18B valuation | TechCrunch

Five-year-old European military drone startup Helsing is reportedly close to raising a new $1.2 billion round at about an $18 billion valuation. The round is expected to be led by Dragoneer and co-led by existing Helsing investor Lightspeed, the Financial Times reported.

Helsing last raised just under a year ago, in June 2025, in a deal that was led by billionaire Spotify founder Daniel Ek. That was a €600 million investment at an estimated €12 billion valuation ($14 billion USD). So this new round is a step-up.

While Helsing isn’t the only European unicorn defense tech, it is by far the one that investors deem the most valuable. For instance, German drone maker Quantum Systems raised €180 million in November, which valued it at more than €3 billion. And a year ago, Lisbon-headquartered Tekever raised £400 million at a valuation above £1 billion. Amid Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, the proving ground for new technologies, autonomous defense startups have become a hot area for VCs.

Helsing, Dragoneer, and Lightspeed could not be immediately reached for comment.

#Daniel #Ekbacked #defense #tech #Helsing #raise #1.2B #18B #valuation #TechCrunchdrones,Fundraise,helsing

Five-year-old European military drone startup Helsing is reportedly close to raising a new $1.2 billion…

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