A small group of Italian startups and young companies works on robots and drones with a defense angle. This overview lists what has been reported about each, with dates, and notes whether the sources describe a military use. Company statements are labelled as claims.

Veco Robotics (Corigliano d’Otranto, Puglia)

A robotics division created in 2020 within the family-owned Vergallo group and led by chief executive Federico Costantini Vergallo, according to interviews with Formiche and Decode39 in July 2026. Its best-known product is Cesare, a four-legged robot that Veco says was born from an exclusive partnership with the US company Ghost Robotics; Formiche said Veco adds sensors, software, communications and command systems. Cesare was among the systems tested in NATO’s TFX-CentMed experiment in Puglia in July (Formiche), and Veco reports appearances at Italian Army and NATO exercises since 2024. It also offers a NEST drone landing and battery-swapping base. Military use: stated; no procurement contract found.

Fluid Wire Robotics (Pisa)

A 2024 spin-off of the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna that builds electric, force-controllable robot arms whose motors and electronics sit in a separate box, using what it calls Fluid Wires transmission (company). It says it was selected for NATO’s DIANA 2025 accelerator cohort with a robotic arm for harsh environments, raised €1.2 million in seed funding in 2024 and was selected in February 2026 for a €2.5 million EIC Accelerator grant under a space-servicing challenge. Military use: described as dual-use through DIANA; no defense customer named.

Dronus (Trieste)

Founded in 2018 by Marco Ballerini, Dronus makes NEST, a patented “drone-in-a-box” base that automates take-off, landing and recharging (Startupbusiness, Il Sole 24 Ore). On March 24, 2026, it announced a €15 million Series A led by Algebris Investments, with Azimut, CDP Venture Capital, SIMEST and Eni Next; some trackers later listed the round in dollars. It cites work with Eni, Qualcomm and Singapore’s Home Team Science and Technology Agency. Military use: not stated in the funding coverage, which describes security, inspection and infrastructure work.

Mirai Robotics (Puglia)

Led by Luciano Belviso, who founded Blackshape Aircraft in 2009, Mirai builds autonomous surface vessels for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and maritime patrol, plus autonomy kits for other boats (TNW, Tech.eu). Its March 2026 pre-seed round, led by Primo Ventures, Techshop and 40Jemz Ventures, is reported as €3.9 million (TNW), €3.6 million (EU-Startups), €3.5 million (Il Sole 24 Ore) or $4.2 million (Tech.eu). Il Sole 24 Ore reported in May that a 5-meter prototype is operating and a 10-meter vehicle was due in the autumn. Military use: stated as dual-use; no military customer named.

NIDO

A drone platform built on the H815 drone, a docking station and a computing module called NIDO Core, for flights beyond the operator’s line of sight. The engineering company Mare Group said on June 9, 2026 that it had agreed to invest €50,000 for 20% of NIDO, with an option to reach 51% within 24 months. Mare Group listed inspection, monitoring, agriculture and surveillance uses and said the dual-use design “also opens prospects in the security and defence sector.”

FlyingBasket (Bolzano)

Founded by the brothers Moritz and Matthias Moroder, FlyingBasket makes the FB3 cargo drone, with a 100 kg payload (company). Leonardo has held about 10% and a board seat since 2023, according to a company release of May 31, 2023. The 2026 activity the company reports is civil: an alpine-rescue project and 189 resupply flights to mountain huts. Funding trackers list a 2026 round with conflicting dates and amounts, and Lens found no announcement. Military use: the company mentioned defense tenders in 2023.

Generative Bionics (Genoa)

Spun out of the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) in July 2024 and led by chief executive Daniele Pucci, it raised €70 million in December 2025 in a round led by CDP Venture Capital’s AI fund with AMD Ventures, Duferco, Eni Next, RoboIT and Tether (IIT). Its Gene.01 humanoid was shown at CES in January and unveiled on July 20, 2026, and it has a four-year partnership with Fincantieri on a welding humanoid, with first shipyard tests planned by the end of 2026 (Teleborsa). It builds on IIT programs including iCub and iRonCub, a jet-powered flying humanoid. Military use: not stated.

Inspire (Genoa)

A University of Genoa spin-off incorporated in 2017, with M.A.R.S., a platform for drone swarms that automatically replaces spent batteries and payloads. Techprincess reported in 2024 that its partners included the Army and the fire service; Lens found no 2026 news. Its stated focus is forest fires, search and rescue and territorial monitoring.

ABET HTS (Bra, Piedmont)

A maker of lightweight composite and ballistic panels that developed the ULISSE ground robot, which trained alongside Ukrainian DevDroid robots with the Italian Army, according to DevDroid; the two companies plan a joint venture. ANSA reported on August 5 that Pirelli had signed an agreement with ABET HTS on ground robots, with Pirelli contributing sensor tyres and ABET HTS a light armored body. Military use: stated.

Siralab (Terni)

Founded in 2007 as a University of Perugia spin-off; Il Sole 24 Ore described it in 2024 as the reference Italian supplier of tactical mini and micro drones for government use. EDR Magazine reported in March 2025 that MBDA Italia developed two loitering munitions with Siralab and another small company. An Army photo caption shows Siralab’s SR-X1 micro drone at the Army’s 2026 robot trials at Monte Romano. Military use: stated.

Also reported

  • AURYN Aero unveiled the AY-44Q “Zombie,” a reusable target drone for counter-drone training (Defence Blog, June 2025).
  • Cyberwave raised €7 million in October 2025, led by United Ventures, for programmable digital twins of robots and machines; no military use stated.
  • Larger groups are also moving: EDGE completed its purchase of engine maker CMD in October, and Leonardo set up a Kyiv subsidiary.

Related: Italy’s 2026 military robot trials; DevDroid’s training with the Italian Army.

Sources and notes

Sources: Formiche, July 9, 2026 (Italian); Decode39, July 17; Veco Robotics; Fluid Wire Robotics; Startupbusiness, March 24; Il Sole 24 Ore, March 24; TNW, March 9; Tech.eu, March 9; Il Sole 24 Ore, May 3; Mare Group, June 9; FlyingBasket, May 31, 2023; IIT, December 9, 2025; Teleborsa, February 11 (Italian); Generative Bionics release, July 20; University of Genoa profile of Inspire (Italian); Techprincess, July 9, 2024 (Italian); ABET HTS; ANSA via Soldionline, August 5 (Italian); Il Sole 24 Ore, June 24, 2024; EDR Magazine, March 17, 2025; Defence Blog, June 2, 2025; Startupbusiness, October 8, 2025. Notes: the list is Lens’s selection, not exhaustive. Fluid Wire’s DIANA selection is the company’s claim and was not checked against NATO’s list. Veco’s and Dronus’s products share the name NEST; no source links them. A 2024 Il Sole 24 Ore article says Dronus bought 70% of Siralab Robotics in 2020; Lens could not confirm it. No source names the Ghost Robotics model behind Cesare. Thumbnail photo: a Ghost Robotics Vision 60 quadruped ground robot at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, 17 April 2023, by US Air Force Airman 1st Class Isaiah Pedrazzini, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; cropped. Stand-in image: Veco says Cesare was born from a partnership with Ghost Robotics, but no source names the model, and this robot is a US Air Force unit, not Cesare or any Italian company’s product.

Image: US Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Isaiah Pedrazzini (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons.