Latvian Origin Robotics has launched BLAZE, a battlefield-ready interceptor drone designed to take out enemy UAVS by slamming into them or blowing them out of the sky.
BLAZE: A Briefcase-Sized Drone
BLAZE is compact enough to fit in a briefcase, which also acts as its charger and launchpad. It can be deployed in under a minute and operates autonomously once in the air. The drone uses a mix of radar and computer vision to detect and track hostile aerial targets. It’s been trained to recognise aircraft, distinguish them from birds and other objects, and lock onto the real threats with precision. When it identifies an enemy drone, BLAZE can either collide with it directly or detonate nearby using its onboard warhead. The whole device is designed to be expendable, but Origin says each unit costs a fraction, reportedly less than a tenth of the drones it’s meant to destroy.
Autonomy With Oversight
Though it flies autonomously, operators maintain control up to the moment of impact. A built-in “wave-off” function allows BLAZE to self-destruct or return if something changes mid-mission, offering a safety net against friendly fire or misidentification. The system is pitched as a cheaper alternative to traditional air defences, filling the space between conventional gunfire and costly missile systems. CEO Agris Kipurs described it as a solution “driven by real-world operational demands,” adding that the company aims to supply NATO-aligned forces across Europe.
Ukraine’s Warzone As A Testing Ground For BLAZE
BLAZE enters a battlefield landscape increasingly defined by drone combat, particularly in Ukraine. Origin’s previous drone, BEAK, is already being used in the conflict, and BLAZE is being considered for deployment amid ongoing Russian drone attacks. In January 2025 alone, Russia launched more than 2,500 drones into Ukraine. Kyiv has responded with home-grown FPV drones strapped with explosives, flown manually into enemy targets. But this approach has clear limitations. “These missions require highly skilled pilots,” Kipurs explained, “and that level of expertise is hard to scale, especially under pressure.” BLAZE, he argues, offers a faster, more reliable, and automated solution.
Backed By The State
Origin Robotics, founded in 2022 by Kipurs and Ilja Nevdahs, has already raised over $9 million in funding. The company recently secured a research and development contract from the Latvian Ministry of Defence and a grant from the European Defence Fund.
As NATO prepares to meet in Amsterdam this June, the timing of BLAZE’s debut is no coincidence. Drone warfare is no longer niche, it’s the new norm, and Origin is betting big on helping European militaries fight back.
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