XTEND Given Contract for New, Small Unmanned Aircraft System
The Defense Department (DoD), in partnership with Israel’s Ministry of Defense, has contracted with revolutionary telepresence platform, XTEND, for a new small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS), called “SKYLORD XTENDER”. The initiative, dubbed “GHOST,” will deliver multiple, tactical sUAS platforms to assist U.S. Special Operation Forces units engaged in combat operations.
With operations in Israel and the United States, XTEND provides state-of-the-art machine telepresence technology and autonomous human-guided drone systems so customers can experience, move, interact and fly in remote physical environments. XTEND solutions are optimized for the urban warfare challenges, including Close Quarters Battle (CQB), counter drone (C-UAS), interception counter improvised explosive device (C-IED) missions, and subterranean (Sub-T) operations.
Operated with a controller and virtual reality goggles, SKYLORD’s XTENDER system provides a new way to fly as well as full sensory awareness and heightened interaction in remote environments
via 3D VR video, indoor/outdoor 3D navigation, gesture control, and artificial intelligence. This “future-is-now” technology reduces the need for humans to physically interact with a dangerous environment, while still extending themselves into the action.
"Hyper enabling drones are the future of engagement for dangerous situations worldwide. The IDF has recognized XTEND’s family of products called SKYLORD as one of the most effective technologies for urban warfare missions, specifically indoor and close-quarters combat,” said Aviv Shapria, XTEND Co-founder and CEO. “The SKYLORD XTENDER is one of our most advanced drone platforms and harnessing it under the GHOST initiative will help DoD save lives and ensure mission success in any combat scenario."
The SKYLORD XTENDER platform allows any operator with little or no flight experience to perform specific remote tasks in complex environments. Built to perform under the most challenging tactical conditions, SKYLORD XTENDER operates seamlessly in GPS denied locations to provide never-before-available tactical advantages. This capability eliminates and prevents unnecessary dangers to warfighters. Other capabilities include approaching a target site from any location, performing recon and data collection tasks with extreme accuracy, and seamlessly exit the danger zones, agnostic of any indoor-outdoor transition limitations.
"The SKYLORD platform is so intuitive that it requires less than 1 hour of training to operate. Whether it's a soldier scanning a building for enemy fighters, locating snipers, or providing ISR on a suspected enemy stronghold, our goal in developing this technology was to minimize the danger to human life," said XTEND co-founder Matteo Shapira. "No matter the operator or situation, when you use our extended VR technology, you can rest assured that even the most dangerous missions are as safe as possible."
With the SKYLORD XTENDER's unprecedented capabilities, the Department of Defense is now able to enhance soldier abilities and shield more individuals from dangerous missions using the power of machine telepresence technology. The GHOST initiative represents a breakthrough shift in defense practices in the U.S. across a broad array of mission circumstances, in order to preserve soldier strengths and allow for rapid and vivid remote situation control.