ODENSE, Denmark – August 12, 2025 – Dropla Tech, the Danish-Ukrainian defence startup building edge-based AI for battlefield threat detection, has secured €2.4 million in pre-seed funding. The investment will scale deployment of Dropla's Blue Eyes system, which processes drone video feeds in real-time to detect ambush drones and landmines threatening supply convoys operating within 50 kilometers of Ukraine's front lines.

The round included backing from Maj Invest Holding, the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO), and Final Frontier, the Nordic space and defence VC fund backed by former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

Dropla's edge-based AI addresses a critical vulnerability in modern warfare: Russian forces are deploying idle quadcopters as smart IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) along Ukrainian supply roads, turning logistics routes into ambush zones. Blue Eyes enables reconnaissance drones to scan the road ahead of convoys, analysing thermal and optical footage at up to 130 frames per second to flag threats before vehicles reach them.

Built by Ukrainians Fighting the Ambush Drone Problem

Founded by Ukrainian entrepreneurs operating in active combat zones, Dropla was created to solve an immediate battlefield problem: keeping supply trucks moving when the threat environment changes by the minute.

"In active conflict environments, every logistics run risks ambush from drones lying dormant 30 feet off the road," said V'yacheslav Shvaidak, PhD, Co-founder and CEO of Dropla Tech. "We built Blue Eyes to give convoy commanders real-time situational awareness—if we detect 20 ambush drones, that's potentially 20 saved vehicles and crews. With this strategic backing, we're scaling production to deploy across frontline units in Ukraine while advancing integration into NATO command systems."

Through battlefield testing in Ukraine since early summer, Dropla has trained its AI on over 170 types of explosive threats across real combat terrain. The system delivers 95% detection accuracy while reducing operational costs by over 90% compared to traditional sensor networks. Blue Eyes integrates with any camera-equipped UAV and connects to Ukrainian battle management systems, sending threat coordinates directly to commanders who can decide whether to reroute or neutralise.

Why Speed Matters: Real-Time Detection for Moving Convoys

Traditional route clearance requires drones to scout ahead, land, and process footage—creating 30+ minute delays that render intelligence obsolete in fast-changing threat environments. Blue Eyes runs on an edge processing unit that analyzes footage as the reconnaissance drone flies, enabling convoys to move immediately based on current conditions.

"Logistical convoys need constant situational awareness when they move in friendly territory for something like 50 kilometers from the front line because of the threat of ambush drones," said Federico Borsari, researcher on drone warfare at the Center for European Policy Analysis. "Combined with remote mine deployment, ambush drones can completely disrupt the entire logistical chain for a frontline area."

Strategic Investment in European Defence Capabilities

This investment represents strategic backing of battle-tested technology that strengthens European defence capabilities while addressing urgent operational needs. Denmark has committed over DKK 60 billion in military support to Ukraine, and Dropla represents a bridge between public policy objectives and private sector innovation.

"Dropla exemplifies everything we look for in an investment—battle-tested technology developed by founders with deep operational understanding, addressing critical capability gaps for European forces," said Niels Vejrup Carlsen, Founding Partner at Final Frontier.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence has provided operational requirements based on battlefield conditions, while Danish defence establishments have supported the company's development of NATO-certified systems.

Rapid Deployment Across Existing UAV Fleets

The funding enables Dropla to scale production and accelerate integration into NATO command and intelligence systems. Over the next few months, Dropla plans to increase systems deployed near Ukraine's zero line by fivefold, with continuous AI model updates pushed weekly to units in the field.

Final Frontier's investment continues the fund's strategy of backing European startups building critical technologies across the space and defencetech value chain.

About Dropla Tech

Founded as a Danish-Ukrainian partnership in 2023, Dropla Tech develops edge-based AI for real-time battlefield threat detection. Headquartered in Odense with R&D operations in Ukraine, the company maintains Europe's most comprehensive real-world combat threat detection dataset, built from over 170 confirmed explosive targets. Dropla's Blue Eyes system is currently deployed with multiple frontline units in Ukraine, protecting logistics operations in high-intensity combat zones including Pokrovsk, Kupyansk, and Kursk.

About Final Frontier

Final Frontier is a Danish venture capital fund investing in European startups specialising in space and defence technologies. Founded in 2024 with €4.5 million in capital under management, the fund focuses on pre-seed and seed-stage investments across the European space and defence value chain. Notable investors include former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who has emphasised that "developing a strong and resilient defence industry requires private capital."

Contact

Dropla Tech
V'yacheslav Shvaidak @ Co-founder, CEO
vs@dropla.tech
www.dropla.tech

Final Frontier
Martin Majercin @ Founding Member, Platform
media@finalfrontier.vc
www.finalfrontier.vc