Destinus Group BV has completed the acquisition of Swiss AI specialist Daedalean AG in a €180 million deal, creating a combined force in advanced aviation autonomy for both defense and civilian applications. The move establishes Daedalean as the core AI engineering and research hub within the Destinus ecosystem.
The acquisition strategically accelerates Destinus’s defense roadmap by integrating Daedalean’s cutting-edge perception and autonomy stack. Key applications will include GNSS-denied navigation for contested environments, advanced seeker technology for interceptors and cruise missiles, and AI-driven mission planning for high-speed platforms. The technology also enables sophisticated swarming capabilities and resilient battlefield operations through sensor fusion and onboard AI reasoning.
Concurrently, Daedalean’s ongoing work on safety-critical AI for civil aviation will continue. This includes developing pilot assistance systems and next-generation navigation tools, supporting the long-term modernization of the civilian aerospace sector.
The transaction significantly bolsters Destinus’s vertical integration model, combining Daedalean’s software prowess with Destinus’s industrial-scale hardware production to deliver sovereign European AI capabilities. Leadership from Daedalean transitions into key roles: former CEO Bas Gouverneur becomes Chief Military Program Officer, while former VP Yvonne Gross assumes the role of Director of Operations and Infrastructure. Destinus also announced the appointment of Brontë Hamilton as its new Chief Financial Officer to oversee financial strategy during this expansion phase.
Mikhail Kokorich, Founder and CEO of Destinus, stated: “This marks a milestone for Europe’s ability to build sovereign, high-performance AI systems. Daedalean brings world-class expertise in safety-critical AI. Together, we will accelerate next-generation autonomous systems across our platforms while advancing aviation safety.”
The integration unites Daedalean’s software expertise with Destinus’s aerospace manufacturing, aiming to fast-track the deployment of AI-powered autonomous systems across defense and civil aviation.
