How did Israeli start-up XTEND go from gaming company to drone warfare leader?
XTEND’s XOS platform is designed to coordinate robots from many manufacturers while keeping humans firmly in charge.
In 2018, as Hamas employed thousands of incendiary kites and balloons across the Gaza border, Israel's military lacked effective countermeasures. Rubi Liani, then the founder of the FPV Racing Israel League and co-founder of a VR gaming startup, recognized the potential of drone technology to address the issue. Without seeking permission, Liani drove south and demonstrated his racing drones to the Israeli military, securing his first defense contract just three weeks later.
Liani's company, XTEND, has since evolved into one of the world's most active autonomous robotics companies. In addition to its role in the US Drone Dominance program, XTEND operates a factory in Latvia. Liani acknowledges that in 2018, XTEND recognized the potential of drones on the battlefield before the Ukraine war made it widely apparent.
XTEND's approach goes beyond hardware. The company envisions a battlefield similar to the smartphone revolution, where drones become as cheap and common as mobile phones. The key to this vision lies in the operating system and the "app store" that connects these drones. XTEND's XOS platform is designed to coordinate robots from various manufacturers while keeping human command in place. Commanders provide an objective, such as "search the room," and the XOS system handles the rest.
However, Liani is candid about the limitations of artificial intelligence (AI). He explains that combat-trained models can recognize doors and windows, but those features may no longer exist after an operation. Moreover, no algorithm can identify subtle details, like a cigarette still smoking inside a building that soldiers are about to enter.
The conversation also delves into the challenges XTEND has faced since October 7, including the impact of 40% of its workforce being called up for reserve duty. Despite these challenges, Liani remains optimistic about Israel's position in the autonomy space. He believes that Western armies will not simply replicate Ukraine's improvised approach and emphasizes the importance of building a diverse range of drones, from high-performance models to more basic ones.
With a production target of one million drones a year and an operator shortage, Liani asserts that autonomy is no longer an optional feature in the drone industry.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
