Ondas Acquires Three Defense Tech Firms to Strengthen Autonomous Systems Portfolio

Ondas Inc. has acquired three defense technology businesses—Insignito, Ottopia Defense, and Caribou Labs—for aggregate consideration of $56 million, expanding the capabilities available across its autonomous defense systems portfolio.

The acquisitions bring a combination of field-deployed and near-term mission-ready technologies to Ondas, adding capabilities relevant to Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS), remote operation of unmanned ground vehicles, resilient communications, and GNSS-denied navigation.

Eric Brock, Chairman and CEO of Ondas Inc., said, “These acquisitions reflect our strategy of assembling the critical technologies required to make autonomous systems more capable, resilient and scalable in contested environments. Together, these businesses give Ondas more to sell and more ways to win. They add commercial revenue streams we can grow across our customer base, and they strengthen our ability to pursue larger, longer-term customer programs where we deploy and sustain more capable autonomous systems on behalf of the customers we serve.”

Insignito Adds Passive Acoustic C-UAS Sensing

Insignito provides AI-enabled acoustic intelligence for C-UAS applications. Its flagship DUMBO system has been deployed in conflict zones and uses passive acoustic sensing to detect, classify, track, and localize drones by their acoustic signatures.

The system listens to the operating environment rather than transmitting RF or electromagnetic energy, applying real-time signal processing, acoustic modelling, artificial intelligence, and proprietary algorithms to identify unmanned aerial vehicle signatures.

According to Ondas, the technology can support detection of small drones, First-Person-View (FPV) systems, low-altitude threats, and autonomous or RF-silent platforms that can challenge traditional radar and radio-frequency detection. Ondas also states that passive acoustic sensing can be particularly useful for small FPV and fiber-optic systems that are difficult to detect using traditional methods.

The technology is designed to complement radar, RF, and electro-optical sensors as an additional sensing modality within a layered C-UAS architecture.

Insignito’s portfolio also includes WaveGuide, a software-based mission-planning capability for modelling the acoustic detectability of aerial platforms along planned trajectories; Silent Propellers, which applies acoustic engineering to reduce unmanned aircraft noise signatures; and Banshee, an acoustic-enabled drone interception technology under development.

Ottopia Defense Adds Remote Operations and Resilient Communications

Ottopia Defense provides software and communications infrastructure connecting unmanned maneuvering platforms with remote operators and command centers. Its technology is designed to maintain the continuous, real-time flow of video, telemetry, mission data, and commands in remote, harsh, bandwidth-constrained, degraded, and mission-critical environments.

Its architecture dynamically manages high-priority operational data across available communications channels to help preserve connectivity when communications are inconsistent or disrupted.

The platform combines AI-enabled autonomy, ultra-low-latency teleoperation, remote control, and resilient communications. Its one-to-many architecture is designed to allow a smaller number of operators to supervise multiple unmanned systems from centralized mission centers or distributed command environments while retaining human oversight and command authority.

Caribou Labs Adds GNSS-Denied Navigation Capabilities

Caribou Labs specializes in resilient communications and deterministic identification for electronic warfare environments, drawing on expertise in RF engineering, sensing, and defense systems.

Caribou’s mission is to deliver GPS-independent positioning, timing, and visibility when digital infrastructure fails. Ondas said Caribou’s capabilities will contribute navigation, positioning, and communications technologies for GNSS-denied environments across its platforms.

Caribou’s technology is currently deployed in active conflict environments, and the company has a global pipeline of new customer opportunities.

Building an Integrated Autonomous Systems Stack

Ondas intends to integrate the three companies’ technologies across its existing portfolio. Insignito will add an acoustic sensing layer to its C-UAS capabilities, Ottopia will provide connectivity and human command capabilities for remote operation of unmanned ground vehicles such as Iron Wave, and Caribou will add navigation, positioning, and communications capabilities for GNSS-denied environments.

Combined with Ondas’ existing autonomous platforms, sensors, software, and mission systems, these capabilities are expected to strengthen an increasingly integrated technology stack spanning detection, connectivity, navigation, autonomy, and mission execution as part of its Systems-of-Systems strategy.

Based on Ondas’ forecasts, the $56 million aggregate purchase price, payable in cash or Ondas common stock, represents less than three times the businesses’ expected 2027 revenue. The transactions also include potential earnout consideration of up to $32 million in aggregate, payable in cash or Ondas common stock upon the achievement of key performance milestones through 2028.

In connection with the acquisitions, Ondas also approved inducement equity grants under its 2026 Inducement Plan pursuant to Nasdaq Rule 5635(c)(4). The grants, made to 37 newly hired employees, comprise restricted stock units representing 2,979,063 shares of common stock and stock options exercisable for 80,000 shares at $7.72 per share, subject to the applicable vesting schedules.