Motorola Solutions Buys D-Fend for $1.5 Billion as Counter-Drone Demand Surges
Updated
Updated · CTech · Jun 1
Motorola Solutions Buys D-Fend for $1.5 Billion as Counter-Drone Demand Surges
13 articles · Updated · CTech · Jun 1
$1.5 billion gives Motorola Solutions control of Israeli counter-drone company D-Fend, whose RF-based systems can seize hostile drones and force them to land.
D-Fend has become a fast-growing target as drone warfare expands in Israel and Ukraine: revenue reached nearly $100 million in 2025, is projected at $185 million this year, and growth accelerated to almost 100% last year.
$67 million in total funding turned into an outsized exit for shareholders; the three founders, who together own about 25%, are set to receive roughly $125 million each before tax.
Motorola, valued at about $65 billion, has been expanding in public-safety, drone and autonomous technologies, while D-Fend brings operations in more than 30 countries and about 200 employees.
The deal underscores Israel's rising role in drone-defense exports even as it still struggles against some drone threats, with XTEND and UVision also pursuing U.S. market listings.
Is Motorola's $1.5B bet on RF-based defense already a step behind in the new drone arms race against optically-guided threats?
How can cities use this drone-hijacking tech when US law strictly limits its active deployment by local law enforcement?
Motorola Solutions Bets $1.5 Billion on D-Fend: A Strategic Leap into the Rapidly Growing $8.4B Counter-Drone Market
Overview
Motorola Solutions has announced a $1.5 billion agreement to acquire D-Fend Solutions, a leading provider of radio frequency counter-drone technology, with the deal expected to close in late 2026 pending regulatory approval. This move will significantly expand Motorola’s capabilities in the fast-growing anti-drone market, which is projected to more than triple in value by 2031. D-Fend’s advanced technology addresses the rising threat of malicious drone use by safely isolating rogue drones without disrupting authorized operations. The acquisition positions Motorola at the forefront of airspace security as demand for effective counter-drone solutions accelerates.