{"id":12861,"date":"2026-08-31T20:45:57","date_gmt":"2026-08-31T11:45:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/terra-drone.net\/global\/?p=12861"},"modified":"2026-08-31T20:27:32","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T11:27:32","slug":"28599","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/terra-drone.net\/global\/2026\/08\/31\/28599\/","title":{"rendered":"Terra Drone Signs Strategic Collaboration with DEFTECH to Expand into the Malaysian Defense Market and Accelerate Growth Across ASEAN"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tokyo, August 31, 2026<\/strong> \u2013 Terra Drone Corporation (“Terra Drone”), a leading drone and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) technology company headquartered in Japan, today announced that it has entered into a strategic collaboration with DRB-HICOM Defence Technologies Sdn. Bhd. (“DEFTECH”), one of Malaysia’s leading defense companies, in the defense and security sector.
\nDEFTECH is the flagship defense company of the DRB-HICOM Group, one of Malaysia’s largest groups of companies. DRB-HICOM operates businesses across the Mobility, Banking, Postal, Services and Properties segments.
\nUnder its Mobility segment, DEFTECH has extensive capabilities in armored vehicles, military logistics vehicles, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), unmanned systems, and systems integration. The company has played a central role in Malaysia’s key defense programs, including the production of the AV8 Gempita 8\u00d78 armored vehicle for the Malaysian Army.<\/p>\n

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Background<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The global security environment continues to evolve rapidly. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), global military expenditure reached a record USD 2.72 trillion in 2024, representing a 9.4% year-on-year increase.[1]<\/p>\n

As governments worldwide strengthen their defense capabilities, demand for unmanned systems \u2014 including drones and Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) \u2014 continues to grow significantly.<\/p>\n

Malaysia occupies a strategically important position in the Indo-Pacific region, bordering both the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea. As maritime security, coastal surveillance, border security, critical infrastructure protection, disaster response, and counter-drone capabilities become increasingly important, the demand for advanced drone technologies continues to expand.<\/p>\n

In parallel, the Japanese government has been expanding its Official Security Assistance (OSA) program, which supports the defense and security capabilities of like-minded partner countries.<\/p>\n

Beyond strengthening bilateral security cooperation, OSA provides Japanese companies with opportunities to establish an operational track record for defense equipment through government-to-government cooperation, creating long-term business opportunities including additional procurement, maintenance, training, and operational support.<\/p>\n

According to Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, publicly announced OSA assistance has increased from JPY 1.975 billion in FY2023 to JPY 8.0 billion in FY2025, representing approximately fourfold growth in just three years.[2][3]<\/p>\n

Malaysia has been an OSA partner country since the program’s launch. In FY2023, Japan provided approximately JPY 400 million worth of surveillance equipment to the Malaysian Armed Forces. In FY2025, Japan announced an additional JPY 3.1 billion assistance package including a diving support vessel and ceasefire monitoring equipment, demonstrating the steady expansion of bilateral defense cooperation.[4][5]<\/p>\n

Overview of the Collaboration<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Against this backdrop, Terra Drone will collaborate with DEFTECH to position Malaysia as its strategic hub for expanding into the ASEAN defense market and accelerate the deployment of defense drone solutions throughout the region.<\/p>\n

The partnership will focus on the following areas:<\/p>\n