Leonardo DRS Orders AI Counter-Drone Systems From Axon Vision
Leonardo DRS has placed an order worth $350,000 with Axon Vision for AI-driven counter-uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) to support US defense and homeland security missions.
The order covers an initial set of AI-based systems designed to provide end-to-end detection, classification, tracking, and interception of aerial threats.
At the core of the contract is Axon Vision’s new counter-drone system, which the company says can identify and respond to fast-moving threats in less than one second.
The system combines perception, autonomy, and threat classification into a modular architecture designed for rapid integration across manned and unmanned ground platforms, as well as maritime applications.
Leonardo is expected to integrate the technology into its broader sensing and mission systems portfolio.
The companies said the systems will be evaluated during a series of operational trials and live exercises, a process often used by the US military to validate performance before wider adoption.
Those evaluations will focus on counter-UAS and mobile force protection missions, and are intended to demonstrate the system’s flexibility, modularity, and readiness for deployment in diverse operational environments.
AI Takes a Larger Role in Military Drone Systems
The Axon Vision order reflects a broader push by the US military and its contractors to embed artificial intelligence into drone and counter-drone operations.
Shield AI has expanded the use of its Hivemind autonomy software since 2023, enabling uncrewed systems to operate in GPS- and communications-denied environments during US military testing and exercises.
Anduril Industries has also leaned heavily into AI for counter-UAS missions, fielding autonomous sensing and tracking systems with US forces and allied militaries since the early 2020s. These systems rely on machine learning to distinguish small aerial threats from background clutter and civilian air traffic.
Larger defense primes have followed suit. Northrop Grumman highlighted increased use of AI-enabled autonomy and sensor fusion across its uncrewed and ISR programs in 2024, while RTX has invested in AI-driven command-and-control tools to accelerate threat identification and engagement decisions.
