PIONEERS OF AUTONOMOUS ROBOTICS

Yaad Chen's journey began with a phone call from a senior executive at one of Israel's top defense companies. "How come I never heard of you before?" the caller asked. "We've been looking for AI and robotics infrastructure products for over a year and have found nothing, until now!"
This was a turning point for Chen, who is today CEO of Aerium Systems. "I'd served in the Israel Air Force and worked as a drone technician at a startup," he rec

alls. "Eventually, I started building drones myself, and was surprised to find the field fragmented and inefficient. Getting everything to work together could take weeks or months."

The breakthrough came while flying drones at commercial events. Under real-world pressure, the lack of a common language between drone components was painfully obvious.

"It was clear that the right solution required resources that only large defense organizations could afford," says Chen. "So, I taught myself electronics, software and everything in between until I could build circuit boards and write code for them. That's when I fell in love with the field, and knew there was no turning back."
Creating a common language
Aerium reflects Chen's drive to simplify, unify and empower. "We enable our clients to lead," he says. "We don't simply manufacture hardware and software, we create new fields and possibilities, the foundation for what autonomous systems can become. We intend to lead as the go-to provider of autonomy infrastructure for the next generation."

The problem that Aerium solves
"The core system of every robot or drone comprises many components made by many different manufacturers, which don't usually share a common language," explains Chen. This complicates the development, integration and building of a functional product within a reasonable timeframe. Before Aerium, most solutions were custom-built and non-modular, designed for specific, limited-use cases. We've developed a framework — a cognitive core — that allows robots and drones to operate independently, make
complex decisions and adapt in real time."
Aerium's approach starts at the mechanical level, using industry-standard parts for aerospace and robotics. "Electrically, we ensure flexibility and compatibility," says Chen. "On the software side, we use accepted industry protocols so that all components 'speak' the same language, internally and with other systems. There's full mechanical, electrical and software compatibility — no adapters or middleware required. And if a sensor or component needs replacing, it's just plugged in, and the system recognizes it instantly. That modularity allows our clients to upgrade without rebuilding from scratch."

Enabling advanced robotics
Aerium's products have evolved from real-world needs and development challenges. "We saw that the market demanded compact, rugged, modular components built to high standards and based on operational insights from real-world deployments," says Chen. "We took user experience seriously, from setup to ongoing operation, with my background as a technician helping me understand human-centered design."

The outcome: a product family that serves as the cognitive and processing core for unmanned systems. From mission computers and flight controllers to cameras, navigation tools and communication modules, Aerium's hardware enables fast, precise decisions at the edge.

"Our products simplify integration and improve operational efficiency," notes Chen. "Clients can get a working autonomous system within a week. A unified product family with shared interfaces allows them to expand effortlessly. If, for example, a system needs to switch from GPS to optical navigation, we provide plug-and-play support — no development needed."

Aerium technology already powers cutting-edge applications — among them, distributed autonomous robotic swarms, GPS-free optical navigation, real-time object detection and tracking, automated aerial interception and ground target engagement.

Aerium's Clients and Applications
"Our clients come from both the defense and civilian sectors," notes Chen. "They include Israeli defense industries, private defense tech firms and commercial robotics companies, working in object tracking, autonomous navigation, video analysis, autonomous driving, flight control systems, payload manufacturing and more."

Each client typically brings their own existing technologies and components. "We provide the 'brain' and 'nervous system' to enable movement, decision-making and awareness," explains Chen. "When all components come from us speaking the same language, integration is seamless, and that's a game-changer."

Dual-use by design
"We considered focusing solely on defense, but our technology has natural dual-use value, civilian as well as military," says Chen. "The defense market is strong, but the civilian sector has massive commercial potential. Civilian robotics are booming — in autonomous driving, drone deliveries, humanoid robots and more. All these systems need the kind of intelligent infrastructure we offer."

A project to remember
One standout collaboration involved a major defense client working on a project for air and ground target engagement. Aerium supplied the computing infrastructure, enabling real-time decision-making and precision targeting in airborne platforms. "We achieved highly accurate demonstrations, with precision measured in centimeters, within small, airborne platforms — something we're incredibly proud of."

From Basement Startup to Industry Leader
Aerium started in a small basement, but Chen knew from the start that "we had something special. Our first clients knew me professionally and were willing to give us a try. Their feedback helped us grow and improve, an ongoing iteration that got us where we are today. We're proud to be trailblazers, who bring advanced capabilities once reserved for major corporations to anyone who needs them, without compromising performance or quality."

What Is Next?
Over the next five years, Aerium intends to become the go-to provider of autonomy infrastructure across both the defense and civilian markets.

"The future is integrated systems and we're expanding our base accordingly," says Chen. "The AI revolution is opening doors, and we're going through them. We're aiming at new markets, such as factory automation, the Internet of Things (IoT) and even marine robotics, from autonomous boats to submarines. Agricultural robotics is also on our radar with smart harvesting, crop monitoring, pest control and more.

"We're entering the era of distributed intelligence. Data is processed where it's collected — at the edge. That's exactly where we operate, and we'll keep pushing the limits."

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In collaboration with Aerium