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The launch marks a significant step in strengthening America’s domestic drone manufacturing and advancing high-tech defense capabilities.
By Shula Rosen
XTEND Reality Inc., an Israeli defense technology company specializing in human-guided autonomous drones, has officially opened its new U.S. headquarters and production facility in Tampa.
The launch marks a significant step in strengthening America’s domestic drone manufacturing and advancing high-tech defense capabilities.
The ribbon-cutting event on Tuesday brought together federal, state, and local officials alongside military representatives to celebrate what the company described as a milestone for both national security and Florida’s growing role in aerospace and defense.
The Tampa site will manufacture and integrate XTEND’s Group 1 drones under existing contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense, with plans to expand into communication modules, motors, and controllers in the future.
“We are not just building drones, we are building capabilities, resilience and trust,” said CEO and Co-founder Aviv Shapira, who launched the company in 2018 with his brother Matteo and Rubi Liani.
The Shapira brothers previously co-founded Replay Technologies, later acquired by Intel for $175 million.
XTEND emphasizes that its drone systems are designed to give operators enhanced safety and precision in complex environments.
“This facility enables us to bring advanced engineering and innovation directly to the U.S. market, allowing for rapid integration, customization and deployment,” Chief Technology Officer and Co-founder Rubi Liani said in a press release.
Roy Levy, Vice President and U.S. General Manager, said the investment was “more than just a business expansion,” framing the move as a commitment to long-term defense partnerships.
XTEND Chairman Dr. Peter Kash called the new site “the realization of XTEND’s vision” to create jobs while bolstering U.S. industrial and security capabilities.
Founded in Tel Aviv, XTEND has grown into a global player in AI-assisted unmanned systems. Its drones, already deployed in defense and public safety operations worldwide, combine human decision-making with machine autonomy through the company’s proprietary operating system.
The Tampa facility is expected to generate dozens of jobs over the coming years, anchoring Florida’s role as a hub for next-generation defense manufacturing.
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