Georgia Tech Startup Develops Defense Technology to Counter Emerging Drone Threats

When Robbie van Zyl first started working with drones, it was not for defense. It started with curiosity.

As a high school student, van Zyl spent summers in a Georgia Tech aerospace lab, where he was introduced to rotorcraft and autonomous systems. By the time he enrolled at Georgia Tech, that early exposure had grown into a deeper interest. He became a competitive drone racer, gaining hands-on experience with the technology.

But even then, he recognized a growing risk.

“I was using this technology to have fun,” said van Zyl, founder and CEO of Askari. “But I also recognized it could equally be used to do very malicious things.”

That realization became the foundation for Askari, a counter-drone defense company developing systems designed to detect, track, and stop hostile drones.

A Real-World Problem Comes Into Focus

Van Zyl first pitched the idea for Askari as a first-year student through Georgia Tech’s CREATE-X Startup Launch, an accelerator that empowers students to launch successful startups. At the time, the concept of counter-drone defense was not widely seen as urgent. However, that perspective shifted as global conflicts began to demonstrate the impact of low-cost, unmanned systems.

The widespread use of drones in Ukraine revealed how inexpensive and accessible technologies could reshape modern warfare. Unmanned systems now account for a significant share of battlefield activity, exposing new vulnerabilities across defense and infrastructure.

“That was the first moment I could point to and say this is real,” van Zyl said. “This is not theoretical anymore.”

From Student Idea to Scalable Solution

Askari is building autonomous systems that can identify and neutralize drone threats in real time. The company’s technology is designed to distinguish among objects such as drones, people, and the surrounding environment, allowing it to respond with precision.

“We are building systems…

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