The investment will support the expansion of Orqa’s Global Manufacturing Partnership Program, an initiative designed to scale production of its drone systems worldwide. The company aims to build on its existing manufacturing capacity at its headquarters in Osijek, Croatia, where it can currently produce up to 280,000 fully NDAA-compliant drones annually.
Under the new programme, Orqa intends to extend its production model through an international network of trusted manufacturing partners. These partners will build standardised drone systems based on Orqa designs and components.
The company says this approach will allow it to increase output to more than one million drones per year. The initiative is also intended to strengthen supply chain resilience for dual-use technologies while reducing lead times, logistics complexity and regulatory barriers.
Partnerships for the programme have already been established in North America, Europe, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific region. Orqa said additional agreements are currently being developed to further expand its global manufacturing footprint.
Demand for drone technology has increased rapidly as unmanned systems have become central to modern warfare. According to market forecasts cited by the company, the global drone market is expected to reach $29.8 billion by 2030.
Commercial demand is also projected to grow significantly as industries adopt drone-based services for tasks such as inspection and maintenance. Annual growth in commercial drone usage is forecast to range between 8 percent and 14 percent.
Srdjan Kovacevic, co-founder and chief executive officer of Orqa, said the company has spent years building its position in the first-person-view drone sector. “For almost a decade, Orqa has been setting new standards in FPV.”
He added that the company has become an important contributor to the Western defence drone ecosystem. “Over the last four years, we have been a key enabler of the Western FPV ecosystem in the defense space, continuously raising the bar for the rest of the industry.”
Kovacevic said the company’s focus is now on supporting the development of advanced unmanned capabilities for Western defence forces. “Today, we are focused on enabling the transformation of Western defense forces, making sure they can develop unparalleled unmanned capabilities using the best available aerial robotics technology.”
He noted that the new investment will help accelerate Orqa’s future growth. “This investment will drive the next phase of our development, enabling us to accelerate faster and set the stage for what’s to come.”
Dr Mikołaj Firlej, co-founder and general partner at Expeditions, said the investment reflects the firm’s strategy of supporting companies that strengthen Europe’s defence supply chains. “One of our core investment theses is to back companies that control critical nodes of Europe’s supply chains, especially in the defense industry.”
He said Orqa’s manufacturing capabilities were a key factor in the investment decision. “Orqa clearly fits that focus. Srdjan, Ivan, Vlatko and the team are not building another drone company. Instead, they have built an industrial powerhouse supplying customers with a wide range of non-chinese components designed and built at their headquarters in Europe, guaranteeing complete supply chain sovereignty.”
Firlej also highlighted the company’s operational strengths and culture. “What stood out to us about Orqa was its significant moat around manufacturing, fast-growing commercial traction, and superb capital efficiency.”
He added that the company’s culture supports long-term development. “The company’s unique culture, built around humble excellence, allows it to focus on long-term value creation with a highly customer-centric approach. We are excited to support Orqa in their next phase of growth.”
Antoine Moyroud of Lightspeed Venture Partners said the firm sees strong potential in Orqa’s approach to drone manufacturing. “Lightspeed is delighted to be part of Orqa’s journey as they continue redefining what sovereign, high-performance drone manufacturing looks like in Europe and beyond.”
He noted that Orqa has distinguished itself through operational delivery and scalable production methods. “In a sector where bold claims often outpace delivery, Orqa stands out by delivering for its customers and scaling where others often fall short.”
Moyroud added that the company’s manufacturing model reflects a strong understanding of geopolitical and market conditions. “The team combines deep technical expertise with a disciplined, scalable production model and exceptional capital efficiency.”
He also highlighted the strategic significance of the new manufacturing programme. “Its Global Manufacturing Program demonstrates a keen understanding of today’s geopolitical landscape and market needs, as well as operational maturity well beyond their stage.”
Moyroud concluded that the investment will support Orqa’s continued international growth. “We are excited to support their acceleration as they expand their global footprint.”
