Nearslab, a drone artificial intelligence (AI) company, announced on June 19 that it has been named one of the "Top 100 Global Defense Drone Companies of 2025" by the U.S. defense industry media outlet Defense Post. The list includes traditional global defense powerhouses such as Lockheed Martin of the United States, BAE Systems of the United Kingdom, Thales Group of France, and Elbit Systems of Israel, alongside Nearslab. In addition, next-generation drone and AI defense companies such as Anduril, Shield AI, and Red Cat Holdings were also selected, reflecting a technology-driven generational shift in the industry.
Defense Post selected the top 100 companies based on a comprehensive evaluation of drone-related revenue, contributions to unmanned systems, R&D investment scale, technological growth potential, and future-oriented innovation capabilities. In this announcement, Nearslab was highly rated for its vision AI-based autonomous flight technology, its record of winning global awards, and its achievements in entering the U.S. defense network.
Nearslab has gained international recognition for its technology by winning prestigious awards such as the CES 2025 Best of Innovation Award and the Edison Awards. The company is rapidly expanding its influence in the global defense market by establishing strategic partnerships with major countries in North America, Europe, and Asia. Notably, in May, Nearslab signed a strategic Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with U.S.-based Red Cat Holdings, which was also included in the list, and officially joined the "Red Cat Futures Initiative," marking the beginning of its full-scale entry into the North American defense market.
Nearslab is attracting attention by introducing next-generation tactical drone solutions that overcome the limitations of existing air defense systems. Most notably, the high-speed intercept drone Kaiden (KAiDEN) is capable of autonomously performing the entire process of detecting and neutralizing threats. It is designed to provide immediate and precise responses even in complex and unpredictable battlefield environments. Nearslab explained that demonstration tests and discussions on operational deployment with military and security agencies both domestically and internationally are actively underway, and specific applications are being discussed ahead of actual field deployment.
Choi Jae-hyuk, CEO of Nearslab, stated, "Nearslab being selected as one of the top 100 defense drone companies alongside global industry leaders is not only a testament to our technological capabilities, but also to our proven operational effectiveness. Based on this achievement, we will further expand our global defense partnerships and accelerate our efforts to capture the drone export market."
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