The $20 million Unusual Machines put into XTEND AI Robotics accounts for part of the $110 million financing that took the Tampa robotics company public last week.
The Orlando-based drone-component manufacturer disclosed the investment Wednesday, bringing its total stake in XTEND to $27.5 million after an earlier $7.5 million investment.
Unusual Machines is also an XTEND supplier, tying its investment to a customer for the flight controllers, electronic speed controllers, video systems, motors, cameras and other drone components it manufactures. The company has been expanding U.S. production for defense, enterprise and commercial customers.
“We believe drones are part of a much bigger shift toward autonomous systems and robotics,” Unusual Machines CEO Allan Evans said. “When we look at strategic investments, we look for companies that are expanding what unmanned systems can do, demonstrating an ability to execute, and investing in the U.S. industrial base. XTEND is doing all three very well.”
XTEND began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker XTND Friday after completing its merger with JFB Construction Holdings. The transaction left the company with about $67.7 million in cash to expand a robotics platform already deployed across more than 30 countries.
That expansion includes drones, ground robots and other systems running on the company’s XTEND Operating System, or XOS. XTEND says it has deployed more than 12,500 systems.
“As we begin this next chapter as a public company, we remain focused on delivering NDAA-compliant, American-made Physical AI systems,” XTEND CEO Aviv Shapira said. “Unusual Machines is both a supplier and strategic partner to XTEND, and its increased investment reflects the strength of our platform, the depth of our relationship, and the opportunities ahead as we continue winning and delivering programs at scale for U.S. and allied defense customers.”