What Sapient Perception does

Sapient Perception ApS is a Copenhagen-based, pre-seed-stage defense technology company that designs and manufactures 10K (100MP) sensor systems for unmanned aerial vehicles used in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). The company's flagship product, the ECHO Camera System, is a modular payload stack combining a proprietary 100MP CMOS sensor with electronic global shutter and Canon RF lens mount (ECHO:10K), an NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX-based onboard processing module with 2TB of storage (FORGE), and the IGNITE edge AI framework that performs sensor preprocessing, GPU-accelerated inference, georeferencing, object tracking, and standards-compliant Cursor-on-Target (CoT) and STANAG output for direct integration into C2/C4 systems such as ATAK. The complete payload is SWaP-optimized at under 500g, NDAA-compliant, and ITAR-free. Sapient Perception serves defense, security, and emergency response organizations, with an active operational deployment via integration partner Dropla Tech supplying sensors to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence for frontline ambush-drone and landmine detection.

The company generates revenue through hardware sales of the integrated sensor stack, software and AI framework licensing of IGNITE (potentially on a subscription basis), and professional services for integration and custom development. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales to defense ministries and agencies, OEM/embedded integration into third-party UAV platforms via standard interfaces (MAVLink, Ethernet, CAN, PCIe), and channel partnerships with defense distributors and system integrators across Europe and North America. The founding team — CEO Anthony Garetto, CTO Lau Nørgaard, and CBO Michael Messerschmidt — previously built and commercialized high-resolution UAV imaging systems at Phase One, providing deep domain expertise in aerial imaging, edge processing, and UAV/defense go-to-market motion. As of April 2026, the company has raised €2M in pre-seed funding co-led by Balnord and FORWARD.one.

Name

Sapient Perception

Legal name

Sapient Perception ApS

Website

https://sapientperception.ai

Company type

Private

Founded year

2026

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sapient Perception is a Copenhagen-based defense technology company building SWaP-optimized 10K (100MP) UAV sensor systems with onboard NVIDIA edge AI inference, serving defense, security, and emergency response organizations including an active deployment with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

UAV Sensor Systems

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)

akta.pro primary industry

UAS Payloads (EO/IR, LiDAR, SAR, SIGINT) & Gimbals (IMABAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Autonomy Software, AI & Mission Management (UAS/UXV) (IMABAIAH)

Keywords

• UAV perception systems
• Edge AI sensors
• ISR drone imaging
• Wide-area surveillance
• Physical AI sensors

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales (10K Sensor Systems): Sapient Perception sells its integrated sensor payload stack (ECHO + FORGE) as a hardware product to UAV operators, defense contractors, and government agencies. The system is sold as a modular, integration-ready payload that can be mounted on existing UAV platforms.
2. Software and AI Framework Licensing (IGNITE): The IGNITE edge AI framework is deployed as a software layer on the FORGE module. Revenue may be derived from software licensing, model deployment fees, or subscription-based access to the AI framework for edge inference and real-time dissemination.
3. Professional Services and Integration: Sapient provides integration services, custom development, and technical support for deployment of its perception systems across defense, security, and emergency response platforms.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sapient Perception is a full-stack sensor company that develops and sells integrated 10K (100MP) perception systems for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The ECHO Camera System combines a high-resolution ECHO:10K sensor (the imaging front end), a FORGE onboard processing module (built on NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX edge GPU), and the IGNITE AI Framework (software for real-time inference and dissemination) into a SWaP-optimized payload under 500g. The product is sold as a hardware payload with embedded AI software to defense, security, and emergency response organizations and as an OEM component to UAV manufacturers.

Product overview

Sapient Perception is a full-stack sensor company offering the ECHO Camera System, an integrated hardware-software product for UAV-based ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance). The system comprises three core components: ECHO:10K (the 100MP high-resolution sensor), FORGE (the NVIDIA-powered onboard processing module), and IGNITE (the edge AI framework). This modular architecture enables the system to capture 100x larger areas than conventional sensors while delivering real-time AI processing at the edge, eliminating the coverage-versus-resolution tradeoff. The company serves defense, security, and emergency response sectors with NDAA-compliant, ITAR-free products built on a trusted allied supply chain.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ECHO Camera System Integrated camera system combining the ECHO:10K sensor (100MP sensing front end), FORGE onboard processing module (NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX), and IGNITE AI framework in a single payload stack from 700g. Delivers wide-area coverage with real-time AI processing and dissemination without high-bandwidth data links. Sold to defense, security, and emergency response operators.
• ECHO:10K Sensor 100MP CMOS sensor with electronic global shutter and native Canon RF lens mount in a compact 60 x 60 x 65mm package. Captures 10,000 x 10,000 pixel frames at full operational resolution with field-swappable lenses (24mm to 300mm). RGB and Monochrome variants cover 400-950nm for visible and Near-IR missions. Designed as a modular component for OEM integration into UAV platforms.
• FORGE Processing Module Onboard processing and integration module built on NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX with 16GB. Runs the IGNITE AI edge framework, stores captures on a 2TB SSD, and exposes Ethernet, MAVLink, CAN, and USB connectivity. Compact 190 x 55 x 30mm form factor at 160g, designed to mount inside sealed enclosures, pods, or airframe bays without external penetration.
• IGNITE AI Framework Edge AI framework that turns raw sensor data into actionable intelligence. Handles sensor preprocessing, GPU tiling, smart cropping, georeferencing, object tracking, and C2-ready output formatting. Supports deployment of proprietary AI models via Docker containers with PyTorch, TensorFlow, and ONNX models compiled to TensorRT. Formats findings as Cursor-on-Target events for ATAK and existing C2 systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 108x larger coverage area per image in a single frame compared to conventional drone cameras
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Dropla TechcoreTechnology or Integration · 14 April 2026Sapient Perception has an existing partnership with Danish-Ukrainian defense startup Dropla Tech to integrate its 10K large-area perception sensors into UAVs used by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence. The sensors are integrated with Dropla Tech's Blue Eyes platform, which analyzes real-time drone video to detect ambush drones and landmines along frontline supply routes. The partnership represents active operational deployment in contested environments.
• Ukrainian Ministry of DefencecoreTechnology or IntegrationSapient Perception's sensors integrated with Dropla Tech's UAVs are deployed by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence for frontline operations, specifically detecting ambush drones and landmines along supply routes. This is the primary operational customer for the company's deployed systems.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• L3Harris Technologies (WESCAM): L3Harris WESCAM is a leading provider of multi-sensor EO/IR turret systems for manned and unmanned platforms (MX series). Comparable as a defense ISR sensor supplier, but focused on stabilized gimbaled turrets rather than Sapient's wide-area fixed-mount architecture.
• Safran Electronics & Defense: Safran's defense electronics division produces Euroflir and other EO/IR systems for UAVs and manned ISR platforms. Directly comparable as a European EO/IR sensor supplier targeting the same NATO/allied defense procurement market.
• Teledyne FLIR: Teledyne FLIR is the dominant Western supplier of EO/IR payloads for military UAVs (TacFLIR, Star SAFIRE, Black Hornet). Directly comparable to Sapient as a UAV sensor payload provider, but with a much broader multi-spectrum portfolio and established program-of-record relationships across NATO defense primes.
• Hensoldt: Hensoldt is a major European defense sensor house producing optronics, radar, and electronic warfare systems, including UAV ISR payloads. Comparable to Sapient as an allied defense sensor supplier with strong EU/NATO positioning, but at much larger scale and broader portfolio.
• Anduril Industries: Anduril builds AI-enabled defense systems including autonomous UAVs (Ghost, Bolt) and the Lattice software platform for sensor fusion and C2. Comparable to Sapient at the layer of AI-driven defense ISR autonomy and C2 integration, though Anduril is much broader and platform-owning.

Direct peers

• Phase One: Phase One is Sapient's predecessor — the high-resolution aerial imaging camera company where all three co-founders previously worked. Comparable as a high-resolution aerial imaging business; Sapient essentially commercializes the UAV-specific extension of Phase One's technology base.
• Sentient Vision Systems: Sentient Vision Systems develops AI-based computer vision analytics for real-time detection in full-motion video from manned and unmanned ISR platforms. Closest direct peer to Sapient in AI-on-the-edge for defense UAV surveillance, with overlapping target customers and use cases.

Emerging players

• Helsing: Helsing is a European defense AI company building real-time sensor data processing and autonomy software for military platforms. Comparable to Sapient in applying edge AI to defense ISR use cases across European allied customers, though Helsing is software-first with broader platform ambitions.
• Auterion: Auterion provides an open-source drone operating system and edge-AI platform used by defense and commercial UAV manufacturers. Comparable to Sapient as an edge-AI and autonomy stack provider targeting the same UAV integration ecosystem, with partial overlap on defense payload integration.
• Shield AI: Shield AI builds autonomous defense systems (Hivemind autonomy stack, V-BAT UAV) with onboard AI for ISR and tactical operations. Comparable to Sapient in edge-AI defense autonomy and ISR focus, though Shield AI owns the full airframe rather than selling sensor payloads.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sapientperception

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sapient Perception