Special Report: Arkeus investment highlights AI-enabled defence sensing shift

Arkeus HSOR-equipped TUASs enhance ISR and provide real-time awareness in challenging operational environments, according to company CEO Simon Olsen. (Arkeus)

Australian defence technology company Arkeus has raised AUD25 million (USD18 million) to strengthen manufacturing capacity and accelerate deployment of its sensing systems.

The funding, announced in May, is intended to expand Arkeus' operational footprint and scale production across Australia, the United States, and Europe.

According to Arkeus CEO and co-founder Simon Olsen, the company aims to adopt a “different approach” to sensing and autonomy, ensuring that autonomous systems operating in complex environments have the ability to “see, understand, and act with certainty”.

Olsen told Janes on 14 May that a major focus of the funding is to develop manufacturing facilities in the US and Australia to support growing demand. The funding will support continued development of “disruptive systems”, platform integration, customer support, and expansion into key defence markets, he added.

The investment was led by Australia-based QIC Ventures along with new investors such as Europe-based R+VC, local firm Folklore Ventures, and US-headquartered DYNE Ventures, according to Arkeus. Olsen said the funding is not contingent on future milestones.

“The raise reflects strong investor conviction in Arkeus' technology and the accelerating global demand for autonomous sensing capability,” Olsen said.

Olsen declined to provide a regional breakdown of the funding allocation, but said the company is investing heavily in both Australia and the US in parallel.

Arkeus is focused on supporting defence programmes centred around intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR); autonomous sensing; tactical unmanned aircraft system (TUAS) capability; maritime surveillance; and artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled autonomous operations across Australia, the US, and allied markets, Olsen said.