FLIR Systems has agreed to buy Endeavor Robotic Holdings, a military defense company specializing in ground robots, for a whopping $385 million. The latest buy comes on the heels of FLIR's acquisition of aerial drone company Aeryon for $200 million last month and makes FLIR a newly powerful player in the defense robotics space. Endeavor, based outside Boston, has an impressive robotics pedigree and is a magnet for top talent in the field. The company started as an iRobot spinoff specializing in ground robots for defense and security applications. In 2016, iRobot carved out its defense business and sold it to Arlington Capital Partners in a deal worth around $45 million. The huge price tag in FLIR's acquisition of Endeavor reflects the soaring use of robots in the defense and security sectors. Endeavor has more than 7,000 UGVs in the field, more than any other company, and its robots are used in military applications, by police and SWAT teams, and in power plants and infrastructure projects in 55 countries. The U.S. Army recently awarded Endeavor a lucrative contract for a man-transportable robot that can be deployed with ground troops. Among Endeavor's robots is a tiny throwable reconnaissance unit called FirstLook, as well as room and vehicle inspection robots, and 500-pound robot for heavy lifting in the field. "The acquisition of Endeavor Robotics, coupled with previous acquisitions of Aeryon Labs and Prox Dynamics, has positioned FLIR as a leading unmanned solutions provider and advances the strategy we detailed at our Investor Day last year," says Jim Cannon, President and CEO of FLIR Systems. "This acquisition aligns with our evolution from sensors to intelligent sensing and ultimately solutions that save lives and livelihoods." Based in Oregon, FLIR makes sensor systems and is best known for its thermal imaging technologies. The company's sensors are used in everything from environmental monitoring to autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicle navigation. The sensors are also used in defense and security applications. The recent acquisitions may signal a hard turn toward those defense roots for FLIR, which employs around 3,700. Robotics in business: Everything humans need to know An executive guide to the technology and market drivers behind the $135 billion roboticsmarket. Living Machines: A quick history of robots (Part I) Derided as abominations or celebrated as ingenious feats of human engineering, robots have been around longer than you think. Wanted: Robot life coach (no, really) The unique job is a hint of what's to come as robots increasingly join us in the human world
Oregon systems company FLIR Systems is to buy defence firm Endeavor Robotic Holdings for $385m, soon after buying drone company Aeryon for $200m. Endeavor specialises in ground robots and began as a spinoff from iRobot. Its products include a small reconnaissance device, inspection robots and a heavy-lifting robot. Analysts said the cost of the deal reflected the rising use of robots in defence and security. Endeavor currently has about 7,000 robots in service.