XTEND, a developer of the XOS operating system, has announced a $40 million Series B funding round led by Chartered Group with additional investments from Clal-Tech and other strategic investors. The funds will support further development of XTEND’s XOS operating system and its application in various enterprise and security scenarios. XTEND also plans to expand global sales of its drones and robotics products.
The XOS operating system, driven by artificial intelligence, is designed to enable drones and robots to perform complex missions in diverse environments with minimal operator training. The system allows for human-supervised autonomy, merging human intelligence with machine autonomy for tasks in logistics, public safety, inspection, defense, and security.
XTEND’s technology emphasizes the importance of human oversight in the operation of drones and robots. CEO Aviv Shapira highlighted the need for AI systems to possess common sense to handle unpredictable real-world situations, such as navigating complex environments and making safety decisions. XOS aims to achieve this by allowing robots to learn from data and experience, thus enhancing their ability to identify objects, navigate, and interact with humans.
The XOS operating system operates on the principle of “Practical Human Supervised Autonomy,” enabling drones and robots to handle specific tasks autonomously while human supervisors make critical decisions. This approach aims to improve the effectiveness of robots in various scenarios, reducing risks to human operators.
XTEND’s drones and robotics systems are currently deployed worldwide, and the company continues to develop its platforms to enhance human-machine collaboration. The hardware-agnostic nature of XOS allows it to control various platforms, including third-party devices, and supports applications developed by other companies.
Matteo Shapira, co-founder and CXO, noted that XOS is designed for “hypervariable” environments, requiring human-level decision-making for tasks like last-mile delivery in complex indoor and outdoor settings. The system is continuously updated with new AI capabilities to handle a growing range of missions.
Eyal Agmoni, Founder and Chairman of Chartered Group, expressed confidence in XTEND’s potential to lead in robotics and drone operations, citing the company’s achievements and the strategic importance of AI in these fields.
XTEND’s technology has been adopted by clients like the U.S. Department of Defense Special Forces and Israel’s Ministry of Defense, for operational evaluation in multi-million-dollar programs.
