Motorola says its has signed a “definitive agreement” to buy D-Fend Solutions, which sells tech that can jam unauthorized drones.
D-Fend relies on what it calls “radio-frequency (RF) cyber takeover technology” to provide customers with protections against drones.
Instead of simply blocking communications, that method calls for taking over the drone and its operations to produce “safe landings and controlled outcomes.”
Israel-based and privately held D-Fend was founded in 2017 and has raised at least $65 million, according to Crunchbase.
The company’s annual revenue growth in the last three years exceeded 50 percent. The company’s full-year 2026 revenue should hit $185 million, according to a statement from Motorola.
D-Fend has customers in more than 30 countries and “thousands of deployments.”
The deal happens as North America gears up for the 2026 World Cup — an event that will be protected by counter-drone technology along with other public safety tools. The federal government has committed $250 million for counter-drone protection at the World Cup.
The deal also comes in the wake of the SAFER SKIES Act, part of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. The act permits certified state and local law enforcement personnel to detect, track and sometimes take over drones. Such capabilities had been mostly reserved for federal authorities.
“Rogue drones have transformed our skies into a landscape of unpredictable risk, where simple detection is no longer enough,” said Greg Brown, chairman and CEO of Motorola Solutions, in the statement. “With D-Fend, drone threats are not just identified — their communications are overridden and redirected, safely bringing them to the ground, keeping people and communities safe.”
Motorola expects to close the deal in the fourth quarter.
Motorola, which last year announced its creation of a “drone alliance,” joins other companies in the public safety and larger gov tech space in increasing their drone offerings, a growing trend as those unmanned flying machines take on more public-sector jobs.
“Joining Motorola Solutions allows us to accelerate our mission of securing the skies,” said Zohar Halachmi, chairman and CEO of D-Fend Solutions, in the statement. “By leveraging Motorola Solutions’ deep expertise and long-term customer relationships across public safety, federal and enterprise, we can deliver even greater impact to the communities and organizations we serve.”
