Finnish startup Kelluu is deploying autonomous hydrogen-powered airships for border surveillance to counter Russian electronic jamming. The company recently secured a €15 million Series A funding round led by the NATO Innovation Fund to build a persistent aerial intelligence layer, providing 24/7 monitoring of the eastern flank where traditional GPS-dependent drones are vulnerable to interference.
The airships, approximately 12 meters long, combine drone-level precision with satellite-scale coverage. Operating roughly 50 miles from the Russian border, Kelluu provides a continuous monitoring layer for NATO’s eastern flank. Hydrogen power and autonomous navigation allow these assets to remain airborne longer than traditional battery-operated drones.
The deployment follows intensified Russian GPS and satellite jamming across the Nordic and Baltic regions. While these electronic warfare tactics disrupt standard navigation systems, Kelluu uses the interference as a real-world testing ground to develop resilient, non-GPS dependent surveillance systems.
The NATO Innovation Fund (NIF) led the €15 million Series A round, its first investment in a Finnish company. The NIF aims to “strengthen NATO’s surveillance capabilities” and establish a “European persistent aerial intelligence layer.” The project also received EU funding to strengthen Arctic security and provide situational data from remote border regions.
Kelluu’s technology is currently integrated into the DIANA (Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic) program. This initiative accelerates the adoption of deep-tech innovations across the alliance, moving toward a model of specialized national contributions to collective defense.
Kelluu plans to launch a second-generation airship later in 2026 with multi-day flight endurance. Current operations continue to integrate with the DIANA program to accelerate deep-tech deployment across the alliance’s eastern flank.