Destinus Group BV has entered into a binding agreement to acquire Daedalean AG, a Swiss pioneer in aviation AI, in a transaction valued at CHF 180 million (approximately USD 225 million). The deal, consisting of a combination of cash and stock, is expected to close by the end of 2025.
This strategic acquisition will integrate Daedalean’s advanced AI technologies into Destinus’s core flight systems, significantly enhancing its capabilities in autonomous aviation for both civil and defense applications.
Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Zurich, Daedalean has earned global recognition for its safety-critical, certifiable AI avionics software. The company’s innovations enable AI-assisted piloting, situational awareness, and navigation in GPS-denied or contested environments-key enablers for next-generation flight autonomy.
“This acquisition strengthens our technological position by adding world-class AI expertise and deep-learning specialists,” said Tim Moser, Co-founder and CTO of Destinus. “Integrating Daedalean’s innovative solutions and exceptional team will accelerate our strategy to develop, certify, and launch intelligent UAV systems for defense and civil markets.”
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Daedalean CEO Bas Gouverneur added: “Joining Destinus is a logical next step after our successful collaboration. Together, we’ll deliver innovative AI-driven autonomy, swarm intelligence, and sophisticated decision-making tools to market faster, making flight safer, more resilient, and operationally flexible.”
As part of the acquisition, over 150 Daedalean employees, including 13 PhDs specializing in AI, machine learning, and avionics, will join the Destinus team. Their deep domain expertise will play a critical role in accelerating Destinus’s development of high-performance UAV systems with enhanced operational agility and tactical precision.
Daedalean’s AI-driven technologies are engineered to augment human decision-making in complex flight scenarios, including autonomous navigation and coordinated swarm operations. These systems are designed to improve mission adaptability, system resilience, and overall flight safety-key capabilities for future defense and commercial aerospace operations.