Motorola Solutions has completed the acquisition of D-Fend Solutions for a reported purchase price of $1.5 billion. The transaction brings the counter-drone technology firm into the Motorola ecosystem, expanding the range of counter-unmanned aerial systems available to public safety and enterprise clients.
Greg Brown, chairman and CEO of Motorola Solutions, stated that the company's mission-critical ecosystem is strengthened by D-Fend's field-proven capabilities. He noted that the addition provides differentiated airspace protection for customers globally, emphasizing that ground safety requires security in the air.
D-Fend's approach differs from traditional counter-drone methods that typically use jamming or kinetic force. Instead, the company utilizes RF cyber-takeover technology to identify rogue drones and take control of them. This process directs the aircraft to land safely in designated areas, a method designed to avoid collateral damage and prevent disruptions to local communications infrastructure used by authorized drones.
The technology has been deployed in more than 30 countries, serving government, public safety, and enterprise organizations. Sites protected by D-Fend systems include airports, critical infrastructure, stadiums, military bases, and borders. Motorola Solutions intends to leverage its existing global relationships to accelerate the adoption of this technology.
Zohar Halachmi, co-founder and CEO of D-Fend Solutions, will remain with the company as senior vice president of Counter-Drone Solutions. Halachmi described the move as a new chapter for the firm, citing the combination of its RF cyber technology with Motorola's global reach as a factor that will help scale operations and transform airspace protection worldwide.
