Teams worked around the clock to produce deployable prototypes within 36 hours.
By Hezy Laing
Israeli startups, defense engineers, and academic researchers converged in Tel Aviv this week for a high‑intensity hackathon aimed at countering the rapidly growing threat of explosive drones.
The event, supported by the Israel Innovation Authority, brought together more than 250 participants from companies including XTEND, Sentrycs, Cortica, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, and early‑stage ventures emerging from Technion, Ben‑Gurion University, and Tel Aviv University.
Organizers described the gathering as the largest civilian‑military drone‑defense sprint held in Israel since October 2023.
The hackathon focused on developing real‑time solutions to detect, jam, intercept, or neutralize small explosive UAVs—systems that have caused significant casualties in Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, and more recently in Israel’s northern and southern arenas.
According to IDF data, more than 1,200 hostile drones have been launched at Israeli territory since 2021, with a sharp spike during the 2023–2024 conflict with Hezbollah and Iranian‑backed militias.
The urgency of the challenge was reflected in the presence of senior defense officials, including representatives from the IDF’s Lotem Technology Unit, the Air Defense Command, and the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (MAFAT).
Teams worked around the clock to produce deployable prototypes within 36 hours.
Some groups focused on AI‑driven visual recognition systems capable of identifying drones as small as 20 centimeters across.
Others developed RF‑based detection tools, kinetic interceptors, and autonomous swarming countermeasures.
One team from the startup ecosystem in Herzliya demonstrated a lightweight sensor array that can be mounted on civilian rooftops to create a distributed early‑warning network.
Another group, led by engineers from XTEND, showcased a remote‑controlled interception drone designed to disable hostile UAVs without triggering their explosive payloads.
The event also highlighted the growing role of civilian innovation in national security. Since 2023, more than 400 Israeli startups have shifted part of their R&D toward defense applications, and over ₪150 million in emergency grants have been allocated to dual‑use technologies.
Hackathon judges included executives from Elbit Systems, IAI, and Rafael, all of whom emphasized the need for rapid, scalable solutions as drone warfare evolves.
By the end of the event, twelve prototypes were selected for accelerated testing with IDF units.
Organizers said the hackathon demonstrated how Israel’s tech sector can mobilize quickly and collaboratively when facing an urgent operational threat, turning innovation into immediate battlefield capability.
