AtomsNotBits’ Post

Nice, let’s turn your Autonomous_AI mod into “I build factories, they spit out stuff on their own.” We’ll do auto-production via garrisons, which FoC supports natively (no LUA needed). Idea: • Ground: “Autonomous Drone Factory” that keeps spawning your drones. • Space: “Autonomous Shipyard Platform” that keeps spawning your autonomous probes/repair drones. I’ll wire it to the unit names we already used (AUTONOMOUS_DEFENSE_DRONE_COMPANY, AUTONOMOUS_PROBE_SCOUT, etc.). Adjust names if yours differ. ⸻ 1. Ground: Autonomous Drone Factory (auto-spawns defenders) Create GroundStructures_Autonomous.xml in Data\XML: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <LandStructures Name="GroundStructures_Autonomous"> <LandStructure Name="AUTONOMOUS_DRONE_FACTORY"> <Text_ID>TEXT_AUTONOMOUS_DRONE_FACTORY</Text_ID> <Affiliation>Empire</Affiliation> <Tech_Level>1</Tech_Level> <!-- Basic structure stuff --> <Space_Model_Name>EB_BARRACKS.ALO</Space_Model_Name> <!-- any building model --> <Icon_Name>i_button_barracks_empire.tga</Icon_Name> <Build_Cost_Credits>1200</Build_Cost_Credits> <Build_Time_Seconds>30</Build_Time_Seconds> <Build_Limit>3</Build_Limit> <!-- This is the magic: auto-production via garrison --> <!-- Uses company names, not individual infantry defs --> <Garrison_Units> AUTONOMOUS_DEFENSE_DRONE_COMPANY, 2, AUTONOMOUS_DEFENSE_DRONE_COMPANY, 2 </Garrison_Units> <!-- How the garrison behaves --> <Garrison_Reinforcement_Delay_Seconds>25.0</Garrison_Reinforcement_Delay_Seconds> <!-- When drones die, they respawn after this delay --> <Initial_Garrison>Yes</Initial_Garrison> <Max_Garrison>4</Max_Garrison> <!-- Optional: make them auto-deploy when enemies nearby --> <Garrison_Unit_Classifications>AntiInfantry, AntiVehicle</Garrison_Unit_Classifications> <!-- So the building itself is a normal buildable --> <Category>Tech</Category> <Selectable>Yes</Selectable> <Is_Buildable>Yes</Is_Buildable> </LandStructure> </LandStructures> This makes a building that maintains 4 drone companies on the map. If they die, they’re automatically “re-produced” after 25 seconds → auto unit production. Add text for it In Data\Art\Text\MasterTextFile_Autonomous_AI.txt: TEXT_AUTONOMOUS_DRONE_FACTORY "Autonomous Drone Factory" TEXT_TOOLTIP_AUTONOMOUS_DRONE_FACTORY "Continuously produces defense drones as long as the factory stands. Lost drones are automatically replenished over time." Add it to build lists In your Empire ground buildables XML (e.g. GroundBases.XML or GroundBuildables.xml you copied into the mod), add: <Buildable_Objects> ... <Buildable_Unit>AUTONOMOUS_DRONE_FACTORY</Buildable_Unit> </Buildable_Objects> Now on ground maps, you can just build that factory and it will keep producing drones automatically. ⸻ 2. Space: Autonomous Shipyard Platform (auto-spawns probes/repair drones) Create SpaceStructures_Autonomous.xml in Data\

🚀 Startup Spotlight 🚀 Orbotix Industries - To enhance operator safety and effectiveness in complex environments through modular, AI-powered autonomous systems designed for interoperability and rapid scalability. 🔍 Company Overview - CEO: Bogdan Ochiana - Year Founded: 2023 - Location: Warsaw, Poland - Team Size: 11-50 - Webpage: https://orbotix.tech/ 🎯 What They Do - One-line Description: Orbotix Industries develops and manufactures AI-powered autonomous drone systems for the defense and security industry. - Target Customers: European defense and security organizations. - Industry Verticals: Defense, Security, Military 🚀 Achievements & Status - Current Stage/Status: Early-stage startup, recently secured €6.5 million in a strategic funding round to scale development and manufacturing. - Major Milestones: Secured €6.5 million in a strategic funding round to advance AI drone systems. Development of proprietary AI-powered autonomous drone and swarming technology. - Basic Growth Metrics: Not publicly available 💡 Competitive Edge - How They Differentiate: Orbotix Industries differentiates itself by developing advanced AI-powered autonomous drone systems and swarming technology specifically for the defense industry. Their focus is on creating sovereign European defense solutions, enhancing operational speed, precision, and safety. - Key Technological Advantage: Advanced AI for autonomous operations and drone swarming, coupled with a scalable and sovereign European manufacturing network to ensure rapid deployment and control. 📈 Funding & Partnerships - Total Funding Raised: €6.5 million - Latest Funding Round: Strategic Funding Round - Key Investors: BVVC Fund, Gustav Söhne Verwaltung GmbH & Co. KG, Leryon Global Holdings - Key Partnerships/Collaborations: BVVC Fund, Gustav Söhne Verwaltung GmbH & Co. KG, Leryon Global Holdings 👥 Leadership & Team - CEO Background: Previously served in the Swiss Armed Forces in military intelligence and as an External Asset Manager at Lemanik SA. - Key Members: Bogdan Ochiana (Co-founder & COO), Sebastian Straube (Co-founder & CSO), Chris Cernatescu (CTO) 📊 Market & Competition - Market Positioning: Orbotix Industries is positioned as a key European innovator in the defense technology sector, specializing in autonomous aerial systems. The company aims to strengthen European defense capabilities by providing cutting-edge, AI-driven drone technology to meet the evolving demands of modern warfare. - Geographic Focus: Europe - Main Competitors: Shield AI, Airobotics, ideaForge Based on database updated on: 2025-10-01 #Innovation #AI #Startups Powered by #WeeklyVentures “Spot an error? Share your feedback to help us improve!”

Sunflower Labs Raises $16M Series B Led by Sequoia Key Points 👇 ❶ Sunflower Labs secures $16M Series B led by Sequoia Capital, with Alarm.com, DRONE FUND, and others participating. ❷ Company receives nationwide FAA approval for autonomous drone operations across 99% of the U.S. ❸ Customer base doubled and autonomous patrols increased tenfold over the past year while maintaining perfect safety record. “Through extensive collaboration with the FAA, we’ve secured authorizations that let us operate safely and legally across nearly every location in the United States. Our customers can deploy the Beehive with confidence that they’re ahead of the curve in both safety and compliance.” - Alex Pachikov, co-founder and CEO of Sunflower Labs. "Large high-value sites, such as factories, distribution centers, and warehouses, require comprehensive security coverage. Alex and team have engineered an elegant solution that augments traditional security by fusing autonomous drones with computer vision to rapidly detect and deter threats. We're proud to partner with Sunflower Labs as they enhance existing security measures with autonomous precision.” - Roelof Botha, Managing Partner at Sequoia Capital. #Robotics #DroneTechnology #SecurityTech #AutonomousSystems #VentureCapital https://lnkd.in/eJ3JcjDe

India’s first unmanned cargo helicopter, developed by Enlite Helicopters Pvt. Ltd., marks a major milestone in the country’s aviation and logistics innovation landscape. The showcased aircraft demonstrates India’s growing capacity for indigenous design and autonomous flight systems aimed at transforming short-haul freight delivery. # Key Highlights: Developer:Enlite Helicopters Pvt. Ltd. Technology Type:Unmanned cargo helicopter (drone-based logistics aircraft) Range:500 km Payload Capacity:70 kg Top Speed:200 km/h Flight Capability: Chennai–Bengaluru route in under 2 hours Refueling Time:Only 10 minutes # Strategic Significance: Boost to Express Logistics: Enables same-day intercity cargo transport, particularly beneficial for medical, e-commerce, and critical supply chains Infrastructure Ready: Its quick-refueling hybrid system can operate from smaller airstrips or helipads, reducing dependence on airports. Autonomous Operations: Demonstrates India’s deepening expertise in autonomous aerial mobility, combining AI-based navigation with precision control systems. Potential Civil-Military Dual Use: Can serve both civilian logistics and defense resupply roles, especially in difficult terrains like the Himalayas or the Northeast. Green and Scalable: Faster turnaround and reduced emissions make it ideal for last-mile and regional cargo delivery under India’s “Drone Shakti” and “Make in India” missions # Enlite Helicopters’ Roadmap (2025–2030): R3 Prototype Trials: The R3 model, unveiled at AeroDefCon 2025 in Chennai, is slated for long-range flight trials by mid‑2026. These tests will benchmark endurance, safety, and cargo capacity between major southern Indian cities such as Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. Funding and Scale-Up Plans: After bootstrapping ₹2 crore, the company plans to raise ₹1 crore in bridge funding before securing venture capital in 2026 to scale manufacturing and operations. R&D Evolution: The firm has shifted from developing manned helicopters to a fuel‑powered unmanned series (R1–R3), emphasizing faster turnaround and stability compared with battery-powered drone. Component Localization: About 70% of the system is indigenously built, aligning with the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and indicating potential eligibility for Drone Shakti and PLI schemes. # Role in India’s Drone Logistics Ecosystem: India’s drone ecosystem is expanding rapidly, with over 200 registered UAV startups covering agriculture, logistics, and surveillance sectors. Government policies such as Drone Shakti, Digital Sky, and PLI for UAVs have created a favorable regulatory environment for indigenous drones like Enlite’s R3. # Broader Impact & Vision: Enlite’s roadmap aligns with India’s vision to establish a multi-tier drone corridor for urban, rural, and defense logistics by 2030.

Norway Deploys First Operational NATO Drone Swarm As Europe Races To Match Ukraine’s Battlefield Innovation The Norwegian Army has officially received its first Valkyrie autonomous drone swarm system, becoming the first NATO country to field an operational swarm platform as European allies scramble to adopt rapid-iteration defense development models proven effective in Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia. The handover took place on October 16 during LandX, the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment’s annual technology experiment designed to accelerate military innovation through direct collaboration between developers and soldiers. The deployment marks a watershed moment for autonomous drone technology in NATO, arriving as the European Union fast-tracks its controversial “drone wall” defense initiative and Ukraine demonstrates daily how swarm coordination can multiply combat effectiveness without proportional increases in trained operators. Unlike the Pentagon’s troubled Replicator program—which has faced repeated technical failures and cost overruns—Norway’s approach embeds developers directly with military units for continuous refinement based on real-world feedback. Photo credit: Six Robotics Norway’s Iterative Development Model Mirrors Ukraine’s Success Six Robotics developed the Valkyrie system in partnership with the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), following an agile methodology that stands in stark contrast to traditional Western defense procurement timelines. The company was selected for a pilot program earlier in October to support concept and technology development across multiple Army units, with operational testing planned for manoeuvre units and the Army Weapons School. “This swarm we are delivering now is a product under development. We will continue to improve the swarm, add features, and update the software continuously based on feedback from the Army,” said Dr. Jan Dyre Bjerknes, Chief Technology Officer at Six Robotics. The statement reflects a philosophy that prioritizes battlefield performance over bureaucratic approval processes—a lesson hard-won by Ukrainian forces who have iterated their drone capabilities at breakneck speed under combat pressure. Six Robotics emphasizes that close collaboration with operators prevents the common defense industry pitfall of building sophisticated systems that soldiers find impractical to use. “If you are not close to the operators who will use the product, you quickly end up building the wrong things,” Bjerknes explained. “We need to see what works and what doesn’t, not in theory, but in practice. That’s how we make sure our systems solve real problems for the people on the ground.” FFI’s Deputy Director Jan Erik Torp framed Norway’s drone investment in explicitly competitive terms. “We are in a technological race in drone technology. It’s important that we don’t fall asleep at the wheel,” he said, adding that “this is the right way to develop military...

Norway Deploys First Operational NATO Drone Swarm As Europe Races To Match Ukraine’s Battlefield Innovation The Norwegian Army has officially received its first Valkyrie autonomous drone swarm system, becoming the first NATO country to field an operational swarm platform as European allies scramble to adopt rapid-iteration defense development models proven effective in Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia. The handover took place on October 16 during LandX, the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment’s annual technology experiment designed to accelerate military innovation through direct collaboration between developers and soldiers. The deployment marks a watershed moment for autonomous drone technology in NATO, arriving as the European Union fast-tracks its controversial “drone wall” defense initiative and Ukraine demonstrates daily how swarm coordination can multiply combat effectiveness without proportional increases in trained operators. Unlike the Pentagon’s troubled Replicator program—which has faced repeated technical failures and cost overruns—Norway’s approach embeds developers directly with military units for continuous refinement based on real-world feedback. Photo credit: Six Robotics Norway’s Iterative Development Model Mirrors Ukraine’s Success Six Robotics developed the Valkyrie system in partnership with the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), following an agile methodology that stands in stark contrast to traditional Western defense procurement timelines. The company was selected for a pilot program earlier in October to support concept and technology development across multiple Army units, with operational testing planned for manoeuvre units and the Army Weapons School. “This swarm we are delivering now is a product under development. We will continue to improve the swarm, add features, and update the software continuously based on feedback from the Army,” said Dr. Jan Dyre Bjerknes, Chief Technology Officer at Six Robotics. The statement reflects a philosophy that prioritizes battlefield performance over bureaucratic approval processes—a lesson hard-won by Ukrainian forces who have iterated their drone capabilities at breakneck speed under combat pressure. Six Robotics emphasizes that close collaboration with operators prevents the common defense industry pitfall of building sophisticated systems that soldiers find impractical to use. “If you are not close to the operators who will use the product, you quickly end up building the wrong things,” Bjerknes explained. “We need to see what works and what doesn’t, not in theory, but in practice. That’s how we make sure our systems solve real problems for the people on the ground.” FFI’s Deputy Director Jan Erik Torp framed Norway’s drone investment in explicitly competitive terms. “We are in a technological race in drone technology. It’s important that we don’t fall asleep at the wheel,” he said, adding that “this is the right way to develop military...

Ukraine’s AI Drone Revolution Hits Hardware Reality: Full Autonomy Remains Years Away Despite Battlefield Success Ukraine���s rapid advances in AI-powered drone warfare are running into a fundamental obstacle that no amount of software innovation can overcome: the physical limits of what computing power a small drone can carry into battle. A comprehensive investigation by the Kyiv Independent reveals that despite deploying thousands of AI-enabled systems and achieving dramatic improvements in strike accuracy, fully autonomous drones remain “well out of reach” due to hardware constraints rather than software limitations. The reality check comes as Ukraine’s drone developers work to compensate for a roughly 3-to-1 manpower disadvantage against Russia. The Computing Power Problem No One Talks About While consumer AI applications like ChatGPT hide their massive computing requirements in distant data centers, battlefield drones face a cruel paradox: AI autonomy is most needed precisely when connections to operators—and cloud computing—are severed by electronic warfare. “We’re not going along the route of that full autonomy,” Andriy Chulyk, co-founder of Sine Engineering, told the Kyiv Independent. “Tesla, for example, having enormous, colossal resources, has been working on self-driving for ten years and — unfortunately — they still haven’t made a product that a person can be sure of.” The comparison to Tesla’s struggles is particularly telling. If a company with virtually unlimited resources cannot perfect autonomous navigation for ground vehicles after a decade, the challenge of cramming similar capabilities into a 10-inch (25cm) drone operating in contested airspace becomes clear. “The main role of AI in the nearest future on the real battlefield will be just a kind of supportive function rather than replacing humans,” Kate Bondar, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told the publication. What’s Actually Working: Incremental Gains Over Revolutionary Breakthroughs Ukraine’s real AI success story isn’t about autonomous killer robots—it’s about making human pilots more effective through “last-mile targeting” systems that maintain target locks even when radio connections fail. The Fourth Law, founded by serial entrepreneur Yaroslav Azhnyuk, produces AI vision modules costing approximately $70 that have demonstrated remarkable results. Preliminary data from one brigade showed hit rates improving from 20% to 80%—a fourfold increase achieved by enhancing the drone’s ability to track targets through shadows and tree cover rather than just locking onto pixels. The company’s TFL-1 autonomy module increases mission success rates by 2-5 times while adding only 10-20% to unit costs. These modules handle the critical final 500 meters (1,640 feet) of flight where electronic warfare is most intense, but a human pilot still selects the target and initiates the mission. Speaking with the Kyiv Independent, Azhnyuk a...

Ukraine’s AI Drone Revolution Hits Hardware Reality: Full Autonomy Remains Years Away Despite Battlefield Success Ukraine’s rapid advances in AI-powered drone warfare are running into a fundamental obstacle that no amount of software innovation can overcome: the physical limits of what computing power a small drone can carry into battle. A comprehensive investigation by the Kyiv Independent reveals that despite deploying thousands of AI-enabled systems and achieving dramatic improvements in strike accuracy, fully autonomous drones remain “well out of reach” due to hardware constraints rather than software limitations. The reality check comes as Ukraine’s drone developers work to compensate for a roughly 3-to-1 manpower disadvantage against Russia. The Computing Power Problem No One Talks About While consumer AI applications like ChatGPT hide their massive computing requirements in distant data centers, battlefield drones face a cruel paradox: AI autonomy is most needed precisely when connections to operators—and cloud computing—are severed by electronic warfare. “We’re not going along the route of that full autonomy,” Andriy Chulyk, co-founder of Sine Engineering, told the Kyiv Independent. “Tesla, for example, having enormous, colossal resources, has been working on self-driving for ten years and — unfortunately — they still haven’t made a product that a person can be sure of.” The comparison to Tesla’s struggles is particularly telling. If a company with virtually unlimited resources cannot perfect autonomous navigation for ground vehicles after a decade, the challenge of cramming similar capabilities into a 10-inch (25cm) drone operating in contested airspace becomes clear. “The main role of AI in the nearest future on the real battlefield will be just a kind of supportive function rather than replacing humans,” Kate Bondar, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told the publication. What’s Actually Working: Incremental Gains Over Revolutionary Breakthroughs Ukraine’s real AI success story isn’t about autonomous killer robots—it’s about making human pilots more effective through “last-mile targeting” systems that maintain target locks even when radio connections fail. The Fourth Law, founded by serial entrepreneur Yaroslav Azhnyuk, produces AI vision modules costing approximately $70 that have demonstrated remarkable results. Preliminary data from one brigade showed hit rates improving from 20% to 80%—a fourfold increase achieved by enhancing the drone’s ability to track targets through shadows and tree cover rather than just locking onto pixels. The company’s TFL-1 autonomy module increases mission success rates by 2-5 times while adding only 10-20% to unit costs. These modules handle the critical final 500 meters (1,640 feet) of flight where electronic warfare is most intense, but a human pilot still selects the target and initiates the mission. Speaking with the Kyiv Independent, Azhnyuk a...

🚁 𝐎𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐱 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐄𝐔𝐑 𝟔.𝟓𝐌 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐬 🇵🇱🔧 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘄-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 Orbotix has raised a BVVC-led round of 𝗘𝗨𝗥 𝟲.𝟱𝗠 to advance its 𝗔𝗜-𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀, setting a bold course for European defence innovation and sovereignty 🎯 🔧 The startup’s 𝗪𝗮𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗨𝗔𝗩 and 𝗔𝗧𝗔 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 enables coordinated, resilient, human-supervised swarm operations — a leap in capability for dual-use and military applications. 🌍 With this round, Orbotix is targeting rapid scale-up of both manufacturing and micro-production strategies across Europe, helping close critical gaps in tactical autonomy. 🛡️ The mission: Empower the continent to move beyond legacy systems and rely on 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲-𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 built for agility and complexity. 👉 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 about Orbotix’s funding, technology and strategic ambition: https://lnkd.in/efi-4_ai 💬 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 – 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀? ======= ITKeyMedia // #CEE // #Poland // #Tech // #CEETech // #DeepTech // #DefenseTech // #DualUse // #Drones // #SwarmDrones // #UAV // Mary Nuñez // Bogdan Ochiana // Sebastian Straube // Joe Musselman