Motorola acquires D-Fend for $1.5B to build end-to-end counter-drone stack amid Safer Skies Act expansion
Motorola Solutions announced a definitive agreement to acquire D-Fend Solutions, an Israeli counter-drone specialist, for $1.5 billion. D-Fend develops RF-based (radio frequency) cyber-takeover technology that hijacks rogue drone communications and safely redirects them to landing, rather than jamming or physically destroying them. The company operates in 30+ countries with expected 2026 revenue of $185 million and has posted annual revenue growth exceeding 50% for three consecutive years.
The acquisition completes Motorola's vertical integration strategy for airspace security: Motorola earlier bought Silvus Technologies ($4.4B) for secure drone communications/networking, and now adds D-Fend's mitigation layer. This gives Motorola both drone deployment and drone neutralization capabilities sold through its existing public-safety channels (radios, body cameras, command centers, dispatch software). Motorola CEO Greg Brown framed the rationale: 'Rogue drones have transformed our skies into a landscape of unpredictable risk, where simple detection is no longer enough.'
Timing is critical: the Safer Skies Act, enacted as part of the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act, now authorizes trained and certified state and local law enforcement to detect, track, and mitigate drones—a power previously held only by federal agencies (DHS, DOD, FBI, Secret Service). FEMA's $500 million Counter-UAS Grant Program is distributing equipment funds to World Cup host cities and the National Capital Region. This creates a civilian procurement market that didn't exist 18 months ago.
For infrastructure and public-safety teams: the counter-drone market is valued at $2.47B in 2026 and forecast to reach $8.42B by 2032. Motorola's end-to-end stack (comms + detection + mitigation) positions it to dominate procurement. D-Fend's RF takeover approach appeals to airports, sports venues, power plants, and data centers where collateral disruption must be minimized. The deal closes Q4 2026 pending regulatory approval. Watch for competing full-stack plays and expanded authorities in the Americas and Europe.
Sources
- Primary source
- motorolasolutions.com
“Motorola Solutions today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire D-Fend Solutions, an industry leader in counter-drone technology, for a purchase price of $1.5 billion.”
- businesswire.com
“D-Fend's field proven technology is trusted by government, public safety and enterprise organizations, with thousands of deployments across more than 30 countries, with annual revenue growth of over 50% over the last three years and expected full year 2026 revenues of $185M.”
- dronexl.co
“D-Fend's flagship product, EnforceAir, uses radio waves to take control of a rogue drone in mid-flight and land it safely, rather than jamming its signal or shooting it down. The system is deployed in more than 30 countries and is already used by the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security, Defense, and Justice.”
- finance.yahoo.com
“Research firm Mordor Intelligence estimates the counter-drone industry generated $2.47 billion in 2026 and forecasts that figure will climb to $8.42 billion within five years.”
- dronexl.co
“The Safer Skies Act opens the U.S. market to the kind of mitigation tools D-Fend makes. A law that authorizes mitigation, a grant program that funds the hardware, and a training center that certifies the operators add up to a customer base that did not exist 18 months ago.”