Defence tech startup Origin Robotics has launched BLAZE, an autonomous counter-uncrewed aerial system (C-UAS) interceptor designed to neutralise fast-moving aerial threats.
Origin has developed BLAZE to fill the gap between traditional gun-based air defence and high-cost missile interceptors.
BLAZE is a man-portable interceptor designed to be deployed quickly to defeat aerial threats such as loitering munitions and hostile UAS. The system combines radar-based detection with AI-powered computer vision. Equipped with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead, it is suitable for use in contested environments.
The system works by autonomously detecting, acquiring, and locking onto targets using its combination of radar and AI. Upon operator confirmation, the system can either destroy the target on direct impact or engage it with an airburst fragmentation detonation. The operator retains final-stage control, including the ability to issue a wave-off command that directs the BLAZE to either return safely or self-destruct.
Origin says the system can launch the first drone in under five minutes, with subsequent launches taking less than a minute. Compact and portable, BLAZE’s transport case doubles as a launch station and charging dock. Its tool-less setup means it can be flight-ready in under ten minutes.
“In January 2025 alone, Russia launched over 2,500 drones into Ukrainian territory – an average of 80 drones per day. This escalation underscores the urgent need for advanced yet cost-efficient air defence solutions,” the company said in a May 6 press release.
The company’s flagship drone system, BEAK, is currently deployed by the Ukrainian and Latvian Armed Forces, and the company has received an R&D contract from the Latvian Ministry of Defence and a grant from the European Defence Fund.
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