Beyond the Drone and Dock: Building a System for Autonomous Operations

SkyfireAI, DBOX, Drone Nerds and XTI Aerospace combine infrastructure, software and integration expertise for U.S. deployment

SkyfireAI and Lithuania-based DBOX have formed a new collaboration aimed at advancing integrated autonomous drone operations in the United States.

The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) during the Lithuania–U.S. Business Forum in Miami. The signing took place in the presence of Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda.

XTI Aerospace and its subsidiary Drone Nerds helped bring the companies together. The collaboration combines autonomous drone infrastructure, mission-control software, aircraft and operational expertise.

The companies plan to demonstrate the integrated solution during the fourth quarter of 2026.

“We saw an opportunity to bring together companies with complementary technologies and expertise to address where autonomous drone operations are headed,” said Dr. Linas Gelažanskas, CEO UAB IT logika. “This collaboration brings those capabilities together with a clear focus on integration, commercialization and real-world deployment in the U.S. market.”

Building an Integrated Autonomous Drone System

The partnership reflects a broader shift in autonomous drone operations. Increasingly, organizations need more than an aircraft and docking station. Remote and autonomous operations require several technologies to work together.

These include aircraft, docking infrastructure, mission-control software, safety systems and airspace management. Regulatory approvals and operator training also remain important parts of deployment.

SkyfireAI brings mission-control, autonomy and multi-aircraft orchestration technology to the project. The U.S.-based company has experience supporting Drone as First Responder (DFR), Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) and remote drone operations.

DBOX provides autonomous docking infrastructure. Lithuanian technology company IT Logika developed the platform for remote and autonomous operations. Its applications include public safety, security, smart cities and critical infrastructure.

XTI Aerospace and Drone Nerds will provide program leadership, integration and commercial support in the United States.

“The next generation of autonomous response won’t be defined by a single drone or dock. It will be defined by how intelligently the entire system works together,” said Don Mathis, CEO of SkyfireAI. “XTI and Drone Nerds saw an opportunity to bring together companies with very different strengths around that vision. This collaboration combines the aircraft, infrastructure, intelligence and operational expertise needed to turn autonomy into something organizations can actually deploy and scale.”

From Integration to Deployment

The companies will initially focus on integration and testing, safety systems and regulatory approvals. Operator training and commercialization will also form part of the effort.

Their stated goal is to make autonomous drone operations easier to deploy and manage at greater scale.

The MOU represents an agreement to continue technical and commercial discussions rather than a completed deployment. That work will now move toward integration and testing ahead of the planned fourth-quarter demonstration.

For public safety and other mission-critical operators, the collaboration highlights a growing focus on the systems surrounding autonomous drones. As remote and BVLOS operations expand, deployment increasingly depends on connecting aircraft, docks, software and operational processes into a single working system.

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