Drone Forge and Arkeus announce Warden hyperspectral optical radar partnership

Australian autonomous systems integrator Drone Forge has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Arkeus to explore the deployment of Warden, Arkeus’ hyperspectral optical radar technology, across Drone Forge’s growing portfolio of autonomous systems. Warden is designed to provide highly detailed spectral information about objects and environments, creating opportunities for applications where conventional imaging technologies may not provide sufficient information. For Drone Forge, the partnership represents an opportunity to incorporate emerging sensing technologies into its broader platform and solutions offering, while working directly with Arkeus to identify where Warden can deliver the greatest operational value. The companies will initially focus on opportunities across the broader Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, with discussions also extending to potential international applications. Drone Forge Founder, Thomas Symes, said the partnership reflects the company’s focus on bringing leading technology together to solve real-world customer requirements. “The feedback we’re hearing from customers is clear. They need more from their uncrewed platforms. It’s no longer just about collecting imagery, but finding, identifying and tracking what matters, and delivering intelligence fast enough to act on it. Warden is a proven autonomous perception capability that responds directly to those needs, with demonstrated performance on leading uncrewed aerial systems. Through our partnership with Arkeus, we’re focused on rapidly integrating this technology into our platforms and delivering the enhanced situational awareness and mission effectiveness our customers are demanding.” The collaboration will include opportunities to undertake joint flight operations, data gathering and demonstrations, while the companies continue to explore potential customer applications and commercial pathways. For Arkeus, the partnership provides a pathway to introduce Warden to new aerial applications and markets through Drone Forge’s platform capabilities and customer relationships. Simon Olsen, Arkeus CEO, said: “The future of mission effectiveness depends on how quickly platforms can turn what they sense into what they know. Warden is already demonstrating that advantage on leading uncrewed aerial systems, combining advanced hyperspectral sensing with edge AI to detect, recognise and track targets across wide areas without relying on operators to interpret endless streams of data. Autonomous perception is fundamentally changing what’s possible for uncrewed systems. Drone Forge brings deep expertise in developing and operating these platforms, along with a strong understanding of customer requirements. Together, we’re building on Warden’s proven performance to accelerate deployment and deliver the decision-ready intelligence operators need to act faster and with greater confidence in complex and contested environments.” For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Kym Bergmann at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Group Sales Director Simon Hadfield at [email protected]