Ondas Pays $56 Million for Three Israeli Firms to Close Gaps in Its Autonomy Stack
The acquisitions add acoustic drone detection, resilient teleoperation and GPS-independent navigation for unmanned systems operating under jamming.
The acquisitions add acoustic drone detection, resilient teleoperation and GPS-independent navigation for unmanned systems operating under jamming.
Ondas acquired Insignito, Ottopia Defense and Caribou Labs for $56 million in cash or stock, the company announced Sept. 23. Performance earnouts through 2028 could add up to $32 million, for a maximum of $88 million.
Insignito supplies the passive sensing layer. Its DUMBO system detects, classifies, tracks and localizes drones by sound without emitting radio-frequency energy. Ondas says the system has been deployed in conflict zones and picks up small FPV, low-altitude and RF-silent aircraft, including fiber-optic drones that are difficult to detect by traditional methods. DUMBO complements radar, RF and electro-optical sensors rather than replacing them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Ondas buy?
Three defense technology businesses: Insignito, Ottopia Defense and Caribou Labs, according to Ondas' Sept. 23 announcement.
How much did Ondas pay?
$56 million in cash or Ondas stock, plus up to $32 million in earnouts through 2028, Ondas said. The maximum consideration is $88 million.
What does Insignito's DUMBO system do?
DUMBO listens for drones instead of emitting radio energy. It detects, classifies, tracks and localizes small FPV, low-altitude and RF-silent drones by their sound, per Ondas.
Why does GPS-independent navigation matter?
Jamming can cut both the communications and the satellite navigation data an unmanned platform relies on. Caribou Labs supplies positioning, timing and communications for those conditions, Ondas said.
How is the deal priced?
Ondas said the $56 million is less than three times the businesses' expected 2027 revenue. CTech calculated that implies nearly $19 million in combined revenue that year.
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Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.