Israeli companies Innoviz Technologies and Cogniteam have partnered to develop a counter-drone detection system that addresses what security experts increasingly describe as the most urgent aerial threat facing critical infrastructure and border installations. The new solution combines Innoviz's 3D LiDAR sensors with Cogniteam's AI-powered perception and analytics software to identify drones more accurately by analyzing 3D morphology, motion, flight behavior and signatures, while distinguishing drones from other aerial objects such as birds to reduce false alarms.
The technology builds on more than a year of operational deployments of Cogniteam's ClearZone platform with Innoviz LiDAR for perimeter protection, critical infrastructure security and border surveillance. Innoviz said the collaboration is intended to help system integrators and security providers deploy accurate drone detection, localization, tracking and classification systems.
The Operational Reality
Cogniteam's 3D analytics engine analyzes object morphology, motion, flight behavior and 3D signatures to reduce false alarms and improve threat identification. "Effective drone defense requires not only detecting flying objects, but accurately understanding what they are," Cogniteam CEO and co-founder Dr. Yehuda Elmaliah said. He said the combination of Cogniteam's analytics and Innoviz LiDAR provides detection and classification capabilities that conventional sensing struggles to match.
Omer Keilaf, the founder and CEO of Innoviz, framed the technology in stark security terms. "We are the eyes of the defense ecosystem," he said. "Our LiDAR provides defense organizations with the exact 3D position of a threat, enabling the systems they already own to act with far greater confidence. This is proven automotive technology aimed at the most urgent security problem of our time."
Integration and Deployment
According to the companies, the module can be integrated into existing security architectures and is intended to serve as a core perception layer in broader counter-drone systems. It was developed to support deployment by system integrators, defense contractors and security providers. Innoviz said the partnership provides a scalable foundation for next-generation counter-UAS and critical infrastructure protection systems by combining its LiDAR sensors with Cogniteam's AI perception software.
Cogniteam develops AI and robotics software, including a cloud-based platform for managing and deploying robots and AIoT devices. The company provides tools for robotics firms and integrators to operate and control fleets. Innoviz supplies LiDAR technology to automotive manufacturers and other industries, offering sensors designed for long-range, high-resolution and reliable operation in harsh weather conditions. The company operates in the US, Europe and Asia and provides solutions for automotive OEMs, municipalities, commercial enterprises and defense and security applications.
Leadership Shift Signals Strategic Pivot
The company also announced on Tuesday that Maj-Gen. (ret.) Yoav Har-Even, the former president and CEO of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, was appointed as the chair of its board of directors. That appointment came amid the company's expansion of its focus beyond automotive applications into the defense and security industry. The move signals Innoviz's recognition that defense applications now represent a critical growth sector for sensor technology originally developed for civilian markets.
Why This Matters:
The drone threat has evolved from theoretical concern to operational reality across multiple theaters. State and non-state actors alike have weaponized commercial drones for surveillance, explosive delivery and coordinated swarm attacks against civilian and military targets. Israel's experience defending against drone incursions from Gaza, Lebanon and Syria has made counter-UAS technology a national security priority. The appointment of a former Rafael CEO to lead Innoviz's board underscores how civilian tech firms are being drawn into the defense sector by the urgency of the threat. Systems that can distinguish hostile drones from civilian aircraft in real-time aren't just commercial products—they're the difference between early interdiction and catastrophic failure. The integration of automotive-grade LiDAR with military-grade AI analytics represents the kind of dual-use innovation that defines Israel's tech-defense ecosystem.