Tesseract Ventures developing SWARM drone technology for US Special Operations Forces
May 2, 2024 | Startland Staff
A just-announced contract with the U.S. military will fund the development of an Overland Park company’s next-generation warfare drone, said founder and robotics technologist John Boucard.
The SWARM (Special Warfighter Assistive Robotic Machine) is set to revolutionize military operations by offering a new, much-needed capability: a highly versatile nano drone equipped with smart payload and interoperability across multiple systems, said Boucard, CEO at Tesseract Ventures.
The future-building technology’s rollout is made possible thanks to an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) from the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).
“With the SWARM, Tesseract Ventures is not just introducing a new product; we are ushering in a new era in military technology,” Boucard said. “This technology is a game-changer for SOF personnel, enabling technological advantages previously unavailable on a single platform. Our commitment to innovation is reflected in the SWARM, offering enhanced capabilities and strategic benefits to our Special Operations Forces.”
The SWARM announcement is the latest in a series of contracts and projects within the national defense vertical that has propelled Tesseract Ventures into a leading tech solution for military applications. The company is based in Overland Park with its defense studio in Tampa, Florida.
Its pioneering SWARM technology can potentially give Special Operations Command warfighters an edge in surveillance, and tactical response operations, he emphasized.
The SWARM system includes a Nano First Person View (FPV) Drone, a Smart Payload System, and Smart Payloads. Equipped with a multi-function camera system with high-res, night, and thermal capabilities, SWARM’s super-compact drone is designed for rapid deployment in any situation.
Working solo or in groups, it can perform critical tasks such as landing or dropping payloads that can work to protect troops from threats such as enemy combatants, gas, radiation, and more. Designed for adaptability, the payload system can be equipped with explosive charges for precise strikes against enemy assets and infrastructure.Founded in 2018 by Boucard, a veteran inventor, engineer, and technologist to recruit the smartest minds in robotics, defense, and critical infrastructure, Tesseract Ventures enables businesses to defy the boundaries of space and time through next-generation technologies.
“Robots, smart spaces, wearables, and radically connected platforms are just some of the tools Tesseract created to make American industries smarter, better connected, and more efficient,” the company said in a press release.

2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Plot builds momentum as its new-to-market tool digs into construction communications tech gap
Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. WICHITA…
This KC-designed LEGOLAND attraction puts young builders in the driver’s seat of their own Ferrari
Racers, start your (virtual) engines. Dimensional Innovations has partnered with Merlin Entertainments and Ferrari to bring a one-of-a-kind experience to LEGOLAND California Resort in Carlsbad, California, shared Spencer Farley. “We continue to liberate the world from mediocre experiences,” said Farley, an account director for Entertainment and Retail at the Overland Park-based design firm, Dimensional Innovations. …
His portable lab can detect COVID in saliva within minutes; how this former Navy SEAL’s startup is expanding its target
Foothold Labs is on a mission to develop a next-generation, portable diagnostics system that can not only rapidly detect infectious diseases in saliva within five-to-eight minutes, but also indicate deadly contaminants in other common substances, shared Sean McIntosh. “To get equivalent results to our technology, someone would need to submit a sample to a professional…
Meet 5 new Digital Sandbox-funded startups poised as the next wave of KC innovation
A just-announced first-quarter cohort of startups are set to receive more than just $20,000 each in project funding from Digital Sandbox KC, said Jill Meyer, emphasizing the holistic support headed toward selected founders. “Early-stage funding is just one piece of the puzzle that helps our founders succeed and our startups accelerate toward commercialization and follow-on…

