Swarmer partnered with Rakuten to enter Japanese market

Ukrainian defence tech project Swarmer has announced its expansion into the Japanese market. The company intends to deploy its autonomous drone control systems there, partnering with Rakuten, a Japanese e-commerce giant.

Swarmer says Japan is one of the most advanced robotics environments in the world. The Ukrainian company’s goal is to provide highly secure autonomy to partners and ensure drone coordination in the region. Rakuten’s reputation and understanding of the local market are expected to support this.

The partnership enables Swarmer to support research, infrastructure, and industrial applications in Japan. The company also states that it has successfully demonstrated an autonomous search-and-hit operation using eight-inch drones.

As a reminder, Swarmer develops AI-based software enabling drone swarm control. The company says its technology has been used in more than 100,000 combat missions since April 2024.

In March 2026, Swarmer listed on the NASDAQ and raised $15 million through a share sale. At the end of April, the company announced a partnership with Ukrainian firm HIMERA, whose communications system will be integrated into Swarmer’s technology.