The Munich startup Alpine Eagle’s airborne Sentinel system, tested in Ukraine and alongside US and UK forces, is planning to establish a 2,000-square-metre production facility and increase its staff fourfold.
The cost disparity in modern drone warfare is evident. In April 2024, Iran launched about 300 drones and missiles at Israel, most of which were intercepted at an estimated cost of over $1.5 billion, whereas the drones were far cheaper to produce. This dynamic is common in Ukraine, where affordable first-person-view drones challenge defences unprepared for such volumes. The key strategic advantage lies in developing cost-effective counter-drone systems.
This is the challenge Alpine Eagle aims to tackle.
On Thursday, the Munich-based defence tech startup announced it is expanding production of its Sentinel counter-UAS system as European nations rush to enhance their drone defence capabilities. The company plans to open a 2,000-square-metre production facility near Munich for its interceptors and has partnered with Dutch UAV manufacturer DeltaQuad to scale the Sentinel platform using European industrial production.
Founded in 2023 by Jan-Hendrik Boelens, a Dutch aerospace engineer with a background at Airbus Helicopters and former CTO roles at Volocopter and Quantum Systems, and Timo Breuer, a scientist with experience at Microsoft Research and the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, Alpine Eagle focuses on its airborne counter-drone system Sentinel, differing from ground-based competitors. Sentinel uses a mothership UAV with airborne interceptors equipped with nets or destruction capabilities, aided by AI-powered radar and sensor networks, and operates at altitude to avoid being a stationary target and to overcome terrain masking issues.
Sentinel’s software platform, Sentinel-OS, is hardware-agnostic, accommodating both off-the-shelf and custom platforms. The startup quickly built operational credibility, with the German Bundeswehr as its first customer in 2024, trials in Ukraine under challenging conditions, and participation in Project Vanaheim with US and UK forces. TechCrunch confirmed its Ukraine trials in 2025. The company has since gained three additional European customers and expanded into the UK and the Netherlands, though these claims are from Alpine Eagle’s press materials.
The March 2025 seed round, totalling over €10 million, was led by IQ Capital, with contributions from HTGF, Expeditions Fund, and Sentris Capital, while General Catalyst and HCVC returned from the pre-seed round.
“Defence ministries seek systems for quick delivery and scaling with operational demand,” said founder and CEO Jan-Hendrik Boelens. “With rising threats in Europe and drones rapidly altering the battlefield, traditional defence systems struggle to keep pace.”
In European defence circles, it is recognized that ground-based air defence systems and intercepting missiles are costly per use. The initial advantage lies with those who can produce interceptors cost-effectively and in high volumes. Alpine Eagle’s airborne model is among the prototypes being tested by allied nations, and the new facility indicates its proximity to production readiness.