Drones have redefined combat faster than almost any other military technology in recent memory. What was once considered futuristic is now embedded in daily operations across multiple war zones, from Gaza to Ukraine. At the center of this shift is Xtend, led by co-founder and CEO Aviv Shapira, whose work sits at the intersection of robotics, autonomy, and frontline safety.
The Drone Revolution and the Economy of War
Aviv describes the past three years of drone advancement as nothing short of explosive. A few hundred dollars now buys a device that can damage or destroy assets worth millions. Ukraine’s battlefield has revealed this dynamic most dramatically. Inexpensive unmanned systems have managed to take down tanks, aircraft, and critical infrastructure.
Aviv groups drones, robots, and unmanned ground and maritime vehicles under the same family. They are simply computers with mobility. Some fly, some roll, some operate on water, but they share the same core traits: sensors, compute, and a payload. This family of unmanned systems has changed warfare by making intelligence gathering and targeted operations faster, cheaper, and more precise.
Are Tanks and Manned Jets Becoming Obsolete?
For the first time, militaries must ask difficult questions about long-standing assets. Tanks have dominated ground warfare for nearly a century. Fighter jets have symbolized power for decades. Aviv believes both categories will eventually decline.
The logic is clear. Unmanned systems can carry more fuel and payload because they do not need to protect a human pilot. They can maneuver beyond human limits. They can operate for days. And they do not require life support systems that add weight and complexity. Some unmanned aircraft already perform long missions without pilots, and the shift will continue.
From Single Pilots to Swarm Operations
The idea of one pilot controlling one drone is already outdated. Xtend’s systems allow a single operator to manage a coordinated team of air, ground, and maritime robots that work together on mission objectives.
Through an operating system Xtend calls XOS, a user can orchestrate a multi-robot mission from anywhere in the world. Tasks such as entering buildings, searching rooms, tracking targets, or breaching doors become actions an operator assigns, rather than manual maneuvers. This shift from stick-control to task-control is one of the biggest technological leaps in autonomous systems.
Human Pilots Will Eventually Be Supplemented by AI Pilots
Xtend has studied the patterns of human drone operators for years. These patterns can be learned and replicated. This led to the creation of AI pilots that can perform tasks a human would normally execute. Some AI pilots follow a lead drone. Others home in on a target. Others coordinate group behaviors.
Xtend now trains these virtual pilots in a three-stage process they internally call exploration, engineering, and flight deck. Operators can summon these AI pilots when needed, which allows thousands of drones to operate simultaneously without requiring thousands of human pilots.
Long-Distance Remote Operations
One of Xtend’s most striking achievements is its ability to operate drones inside buildings thousands of kilometers away. Aviv describes a scenario where drones flew through a structure in Israel while the operator sat in Japan. That distance is not a limitation because Xtend does not rely on manual control. Operators task the drones, and the drones’ onboard autonomy executes the mission.
This capability breaks the direct link between physical presence and operational control. It reduces risk for soldiers and opens the door to global deployments without local operators on the ground.
Understanding the Russian Airbase Operation
When Ukrainian forces struck deep inside Russia in a recent widely reported operation, many observers saw it as a turning point. While the creativity of inserting drones through disguised vehicles was impressive, Aviv notes that the drones themselves were not technologically advanced. They relied on GPS and basic waypoint navigation, with operators taking manual control near impact.
What stood out was the tactic, not the technology. Xtend’s systems demonstrate how much further autonomy can go when drones receive tasks rather than manual joystick inputs.
GPS Jamming, Spoofing, and the Arms Race in Drone Warfare
One of the greatest surprises in recent conflicts has been how often GPS is disrupted rather than shut off completely. Spoofing gives drones false GPS coordinates, causing them to drift miles away and crash. Xtend solved this by developing anti-spoofing algorithms and fallback navigation methods that use cameras, lidar, and SLAM for self-localization.
This indoor-first navigation stack, originally built for GPS-denied spaces, now powers Xtend’s outdoor drones in jammed war zones. It allows drones to stay on mission even when traditional navigation systems fail.
The Threat of Cheap Chinese Drones and the Global Supply Chain
China’s DJI dominates the global drone market, reportedly selling drones below component cost. Aviv views this as both a commercial barrier and a security concern. DJI drones include cameras, microphones, and compute hardware capable of capturing sensitive information, and many government agencies have begun banning them.
Xtend addresses this by manufacturing locally in each major market. It builds drones in Israel, Singapore, Europe, and the United States. In times of conflict, no nation wants to depend entirely on another country’s supply chain. Xtend built its operations with that reality in mind.
Beyond Defense: Search and Rescue, Security, and Policing
Xtend originally began as a gaming company that trained users to fly drones through immersive digital experiences. That legacy still influences its work. The company now provides systems to:
- Police forces
- Fire and rescue services
- Private security companies
- Critical infrastructure protection teams
- Defense organizations
The same technology used for combat missions can also save civilians, locate missing people, and secure sensitive facilities.
The Boston Dynamics Partnership
Boston Dynamics is known for some of the most advanced robots in the world. Xtend complements this hardware by giving these robots the ability to execute complex missions autonomously. For example, navigating elevators is simple for a child but extremely difficult for a robot. Xtend’s task-based control enables robots to detect buttons, select floors, enter and exit elevators, and follow mission objectives without manual control.
How Drones Are Used in Gaza, Lebanon, and Ukraine
Each environment demands a different mix of drone types.
- Gaza: urban, dense, GPS-denied, high-risk. Xtend focuses on indoor drones and last-meter operations.
- Lebanon: more rural and open, requiring different endurance and surveillance capabilities.
- Ukraine: long-range strikes, loitering munitions, and battlefield reconnaissance.
This variety requires a unified software layer so operators can command multiple drone types without switching tools. Xtend’s unified controller achieves that.
Summoning Drones and Reducing Training Time by 99 Percent
One of the most surprising pieces of feedback from soldiers was simple: drones take up space. Backpacks are full of gear. Carrying multiple drones is a burden. Xtend responded by allowing soldiers to summon drones instead of carrying them. A drone can take off from a nearby logistics point, arrive at the soldier’s location, and begin its mission.
Training is also dramatically faster. Soldiers who once needed weeks of instruction now become proficient within minutes. The system handles flight and collision avoidance. The soldier only assigns tasks.
Should We Be Afraid?
Aviv believes awareness, not fear, is the right stance. The technology is already available to hostile groups. The real challenge is staying ahead. Xtend works in a closed loop with its customers, receiving direct field feedback and pushing rapid updates. This constant improvement cycle is essential to stay ahead of adversaries who also have access to off-the-shelf hardware and online tutorials.
A Founder Driven by Impact
Before Xtend, Aviv built technologies that earned two Emmy awards in sports broadcasting. But Xtend is different. It saves lives. It keeps soldiers out of doorways, alleys, and rooms where threats hide. That sense of purpose drives the team and gives their work meaning beyond product development.
The Future of Israel’s Defense Tech
Israel’s defense ecosystem is world-class, but funding has often lagged behind the potential. Traditional VCs favored software and SaaS, leaving defense startups to struggle for capital. Aviv hopes this changes. The rise of dedicated defense investors like Penteo signals a shift toward supporting companies that build critical security infrastructure.
Xtend reflects the direction the industry is heading: autonomous systems, intelligent robotics, and human-machine collaboration. These tools will define the future of warfare and security, and Israel is positioned to lead.
The technology is advancing quickly, the threats evolve even faster, and companies like Xtend are shaping the systems that will protect both soldiers and civilians in the decades ahead.
