Aurelius Systems Raises $40 Million to Advance Autonomous Counter-Drone Defense
Aurelius Systems, a San Francisco-based defense technology company developing autonomous counter-drone systems, has raised $40 million in Series A funding as it moves to expand development and production of its defense platform.
According to Axios Pro Rata, the round was led by Draper Associates and KAS Venture Partners, with participation from General Catalyst, Hanwha Defense USA, Outlander, Alumni Ventures, Bravo Victor Venture Capital, Detroit Venture Partners and Decisive Point.
Building Autonomous Defense Against Drone Threats
Aurelius is developing Archimedes, an autonomous directed-energy system designed to detect, track and neutralize aerial threats. The platform combines high-power lasers, optical sensors and AI-driven autonomy into a compact system intended for deployment with military forces and at critical infrastructure sites.
The company says Archimedes is designed to operate with minimal human intervention, using onboard sensing and machine-learning capabilities to identify and engage drone threats. Aurelius is targeting the growing demand for affordable counter-UAS systems as militaries face increasing numbers of relatively inexpensive drones.
Funding Comes as Aurelius Expands Partnerships
The new funding follows a series of recent developments for Aurelius. In July, the company announced a partnership with American Rheinmetall to integrate its Archimedes directed-energy platform with robotic combat vehicles, creating a mobile autonomous counter-drone capability for protecting forces and tactical logistics operations.
Aurelius has also been expanding its domestic manufacturing capabilities. The company launched a manufacturing division focused on producing high-power fiber laser source modules and precision optical assemblies, supporting both defense and industrial applications.
From Testing to Scaled Production
The company has already demonstrated Archimedes in U.S. military testing environments and is working to move the technology toward broader operational deployment. Aurelius previously raised $10 million in seed funding in 2025, which it used to expand engineering, manufacturing and field-testing activities.
The $40 million Series A gives Aurelius substantially more capital to accelerate that transition. With drone warfare driving demand for scalable and lower-cost defensive technologies, the company is positioning autonomous directed energy as an alternative layer in counter-UAS networks.
Author: Kevin Macmellon
