The acquisition of the Zurich, Switzerland-based aviation AI solutions company is expected to close by the end of 2025.
Founded in 2016, Daedalean develops avionics hardware and software that enables AI-assisted piloting, environmental awareness, and navigation in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-denied environments. The company employs more than 150 engineers and scientists, including 13 PhDs with expertise in AI, machine learning, and avionics.
“This acquisition strengthens our technological position by adding world-class AI expertise and deep-learning specialists,” said Tim Moser, co-founder and chief technology officer of Destinus. “Integrating Daedalean’s solutions and exceptional team will accelerate our strategy to develop, certify, and launch intelligent unmanned aerial vehicle systems for defense and civil markets.”
Destinus was founded in 2021 with the aim of developing hypersonic aircraft but has since expanded into making autonomous drones for the civil and defense sectors. The Katwijk, Netherlands-based company employs over 500 people and has operations in Germany, Switzerland, France, the UK, Spain, and Ukraine.
Destinus’ said it plans to expand AI solutions for unmanned flight systems in civil and defense markets and that the AI solutions it develops will enhance human operators’ effectiveness and support decision-making in managing flight systems and drone swarms.
Bas Gouverneur, CEO of Daedalean said, “Joining Destinus is a logical next step after our successful collaboration. Together, we’ll deliver innovative AI-driven autonomy, swarm intelligence, and sophisticated decision-making tools to market faster, making flight safer, more resilient, and operationally flexible.”
