Motorola to Buy Israeli D-Fend for $1.5B in Counter-Drone Warfare Push

Motorola Solutions has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Israeli counter-drone technology company D-Fend Solutions for $1.5 billion in cash, the company announced on Monday, marking a major expansion into the fast-growing anti-drone security market.

According to Motorola, D-Fend’s technology is deployed across more than 30 countries and is trusted by government, public safety, and enterprise customers. The system is already in operational use by U.S. federal agencies including the Departments of Homeland Security, Defense, and Justice, alongside other security and law enforcement bodies worldwide. The company has recorded annual revenue growth of more than 50% over the past three years and is expected to generate $185 million in revenue in 2026.

“Rogue drones have transformed our skies into a landscape of unpredictable risk,” said Motorola Solutions Chairman and CEO Greg Brown. “With D-Fend, drone threats are not just identified – their communications are overridden and redirected, safely bringing them to the ground.”

D-Fend develops radio-frequency (RF) and cyber-based systems that can take control of hostile drones mid-flight without using kinetic interception or signal jamming. Its flagship system, EnforceAir, detects, locates, and “hijacks” unauthorized drones, safely landing them while avoiding disruption to surrounding communications, a capability particularly critical in sensitive environments such as airports, military bases, and urban infrastructure.

The deal comes amid growing battlefield use of drones in conflicts such as Ukraine, Gaza, and along Israel’s northern border with Hezbollah, where explosive UAVs have become a widely used weapon against military forces. These developments have accelerated demand for systems capable of neutralizing drones in complex environments without causing collateral damage or interfering with communications.

At the same time, civilian airspace is facing increasing disruption from rogue drones, with incidents in the United States and Europe temporarily shutting down airports and exposing vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure. Reuters reported that new U.S. legislation, including the “Safer Skies Act,” is expanding authorized counter-drone capabilities for certified agencies, reflecting a broader regulatory shift toward more active mitigation tools.

D-Fend was founded in 2016 by Zohar Halami, Yaniv Benbenishti, and Assaf Monasse, and employs around 200 people across Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Earlier this month, Calcalist reported that the company had been exploring strategic alternatives with Goldman Sachs and was previously targeting a valuation of around $1 billion. The $1.5 billion acquisition therefore represents a significant premium and exit for its investors, including Vertex Ventures, Claridge, and Israel Growth Partners (IGP).

The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.

Leading international UAS/drone event, UVID DroneTech 2026, returns to Israel this November for its 14th edition, bringing together global stakeholders for knowledge sharing and collaboration. For information and registration