In a remarkable transformation that mirrors the rapidly evolving landscape of military technology, XTEND has emerged from its origins as a gaming company to become a crucial provider of advanced drone and robotics solutions for defense forces. With its guiding principle to "Win the mission and get home safely," the company has quickly adapted its expertise to address urgent military reconnaissance needs.

Gaming Origins to Military Innovation

XTEND's journey began in the competitive drone racing space, where it developed a league aimed at making drone piloting accessible to everyone. Under the leadership of co-founder and CEO Aviv Shapiro, the company created first-person view (FPV) technology that significantly reduced the learning curve for operators.

Initially, XTEND expanded into civilian applications such as search and rescue, agriculture, and law enforcement. However, recent conflicts prompted a dramatic pivot, with the company refocusing its technology to address specific military requirements.

Overcoming Complex Operational Challenges

The transition to military applications presented XTEND with formidable technical challenges:

• Operating in GPS-denied environments
• Managing limited power and space in underground settings
• Ensuring equipment portability
• Maintaining functionality despite signal jamming
• Adapting to confined spaces like tunnels

To address these obstacles, XTEND developed sophisticated AI perception algorithms integrated with an intuitive operator interface. The system enables drones to automatically identify and navigate through openings such as doors and windows in real-time, while implementing robust obstacle avoidance capabilities both indoors and outdoors.

Expanding Beyond Aerial Drones

Recognizing the limitations of aerial drones—particularly their brief 15-20 minute battery life in tunnel operations—XTEND has expanded its technology to include quadruped robots. The company's XOS operating system now enables simultaneous control of multiple machines, incorporating augmented and virtual reality over an AI layer.

"We want to reduce the cognitive load on operators, allowing them to have situational awareness and perform their missions," explains Gal Nir, XTEND's chief commercial officer. "AI capabilities help the drone to detect and classify targets."

Rapid Development and Deployment

One of XTEND's most significant achievements has been dramatically reducing the training time required for operators. What once took weeks now requires only hours—a crucial advantage when working with reservists who may lack prior drone experience.

The company maintains an aggressive development cycle, implementing regular updates based on direct field feedback. "With IDF feedback, we have closed-loop product development with soldiers both in the field and in the office," notes Nir. "We've been pushing out service packs every month and are up to Version 156."

Future Challenges and Considerations

As XTEND continues to evolve, it faces the complex task of balancing long-term development contracts with immediate operational needs. CEO Shapiro acknowledges the challenge of building products that must function effectively both underground and in varied terrain like mountainous forests.

Cybersecurity remains a critical concern, particularly given the sensitive nature of the technology. "Everything is evolving during the conflict itself," Shapiro notes. "Cybersecurity is also a huge issue because we know that everything that falls on the ground will be taken to Iran or Russia."

The company's transformation from gaming innovator to defense technology pioneer illustrates the increasingly blurred lines between civilian and military technology development. As modern conflicts continue to evolve, XTEND's ability to rapidly adapt and deploy new solutions positions it at the forefront of defense innovation.