XTEND Reality Inc. (XTEND), a leader in artificial intelligence-powered, human-guided autonomous drone systems founded in Israel, officially opened its new U.S. headquarters and production facility this week in Tampa.
“We are not just building drones—we are building capabilities, resilience, and trust,” CEO Aviv Shapira said. “This facility marks a new chapter for XTEND in the United States.”
The facility’s opening brought together federal, state, and local officials, along with military representatives, to celebrate a significant step in enhancing U.S. drone capabilities. According to a statement from XTEND, the new facility is designed to manufacture and integrate the company’s advanced drone systems, initially focusing on Group 1 systems for Department of Defense applications. Over time, production will expand to include essential drone subsystems such as communication modules, motors, and control electronics, and strengthening national security through domestic supply chains.
Co‑founded in 2018 by Israeli entrepreneurs Aviv and Matteo Shapira together with Rubi Liani, XTEND builds on prior success; the Shapira brothers formerly founded Replay Technologies, acquired by Intel in 2016 for $175 million.
Their innovation centers on XTEND Operating System (XOS), an AI‑powered, human‑guided interface that enables operators to manage teams of semi‑autonomous drones with precision, even in complex mission environments
