Ukrainian-Lithuanian defence start-up Valkyrie Dynamics has secured €1m in investment to produce miniature radars for interceptor drones. The pre-seed round was led by French venture studio Hexa. Defender Media reports this, citing the company.
Valkyrie Dynamics’ flagship product is Heimdall, a compact radar seeker head mounted directly on interceptor drones. The device emits radio waves and helps the operator detect aerial targets at a range of 100–500 metres, the developers say.
The development is intended to solve the problem of limited visibility when intercepting enemy drones. At present, operators mainly rely on cameras, whose effectiveness is reduced by cloud cover and precipitation. By contrast, the built-in radar, according to the manufacturer, makes it possible to detect targets regardless of weather conditions.
The company is currently completing tests of Heimdall and its integration with Ukrainian customers and military units. The developer’s partners include Korven Systems, which is building a software-and-hardware ecosystem for drones, including an autopilot for high-speed interceptor drones.
In November 2026, Valkyrie Dynamics plans to produce the first small batch of radars based on the current model. After that, the company is expected to move to mass production. The planned volumes have not yet been disclosed. It is expected that once mass production begins, the cost per unit will be less than €300.
The company unveiled the first working Heimdall prototype in October 2026. At the same time, Valkyrie Dynamics joined Hexa Sprint Defense—an accelerator programme run by French venture studio Hexa, focused on European start-ups in defence technologies and dual-use developments.
In addition to developing radars, part of the funds raised will be used to create the next version of Heimdall. The main change is an increase in target detection range from the current 100–500 metres to one kilometre. The developers are also working to increase the information refresh rate and expand the radar’s field of view. These improvements are expected to be made possible by a shift to a new device architecture.
In the longer term, Valkyrie Dynamics plans to adapt the technology for use on ground vehicles and other types of drones.