Ukrainian-Lithuanian defense technology company Valkyrie Dynamics has secured €1 million in a pre-seed funding round to advance its miniature radar technology designed for interceptor drones. The round was led by French venture studio Hexa, with participation from angel investors specializing in defense technologies.
The company is developing Heimdall, a radar-based terminal guidance system designed to be installed in the nose section of FPV drones and autonomous interceptor UAVs. The device aims to improve the detection and tracking of aerial targets in conditions where optical and thermal imaging cameras become less effective due to fog, rain, snow, or heavy cloud cover.
Unlike conventional visual guidance systems, Heimdall uses radio waves to provide operators with a radar image of the target during the final stage of interception. According to the company, the radar can track objects at distances of approximately 100–500 meters. The device weighs around 100 grams, with a target unit cost of less than €300 once mass production is established.
Heimdall can be used both in manually operated FPV interceptor drones and in combination with autonomous control modules. However, the decision to engage a target remains with the operator or the drone's own control system.
Valkyrie Dynamics will use the funding to manufacture the first version of the radar, develop the next generation of the device, and expand its team. Looking ahead, the company plans to increase the radar's target detection range and field of view, while also adapting the technology for ground vehicles and other unmanned platforms.
Valkyrie Dynamics has Ukrainian-Lithuanian roots, with its headquarters in Lithuania and a research laboratory and prototyping center in Kyiv. Development is carried out in cooperation with Ukrainian military personnel and unmanned systems manufacturers. In particular, the company has conducted flight tests jointly with Ukrainian-Estonian Korven Systems, which develops autonomous control technologies for interceptor drones.
In October 2026, Valkyrie Dynamics also joined the Hexa Sprint Defense program, which supports European startups developing defense and dual-use technologies. By the end of 2026, the company plans to establish technical integration centers in Europe to facilitate cooperation with NATO procurement programs.
