Daedalus Defence is a German early-stage startup founded in 2025 by three master's students at OTH Regensburg. The company is developing an autonomous counter-drone interceptor equipped with a patented, foldable net structure that physically captures unauthorized drones and transports them safely out of restricted areas — avoiding the collateral risks associated with jamming or kinetic takedowns.

The interceptor's onboard AI handles autonomous target acquisition, real-time tracking, and trajectory prediction, while a sensor fusion stack (camera, LiDAR, ultrasonic) cross-checks detections before a human operator makes the final go/no-go capture decision. Forensically relevant flight data is logged throughout each interception to support subsequent law-enforcement investigations. The first product is designed to stay under 4 kg and is capable of capturing drones up to approximately 2.5 kg.

Target markets include airports, military installations, critical infrastructure sites, large public events, and VIP security details. Development work began in October 2025 out of the OTH Regensburg Startup Lab. As of mid-2026 the team is actively pursuing pilot deployments at real-world sites and seeking investors and strategic partners to accelerate commercialisation.