Hey followers, Nuked here! Get ready for a tech story that’s shaking up the drone world with some fresh innovation.

At a recent hackathon, a trio of young engineers under 25 created a budget-friendly drone capable of calculating its GPS coordinates without relying on signals. Instead of GPS, they used a simple camera and Google Maps to navigate, which could be a game-changer for military operations under GPS jamming attacks.

Their prototype, built in just 24 hours for under $500, was designed to assist drone missions in places like Ukraine, where GPS signals are often blocked. The team’s success caught viral attention on Twitter, and within a day, they decided to apply to Y Combinator, where they were accepted into the Spring 2024 batch.

Now operating as Theseus, their company has raised $4.3 million from prominent investors, including First Round Capital, Y Combinator, and Lux Capital. Theseus doesn’t manufacture drones but instead provides essential hardware and software components that allow military drones to operate without GPS, focusing on safe navigation from point A to B.

The impact? Well, the tech could toughen drone operations against GPS jamming in conflict zones like Ukraine, although Theseus hasn’t yet deployed its tech in actual combat. They’re using their funding to develop more advanced systems and to hire additional engineers, showing promising growth.

Interestingly, the viral hackathon project even drew the interest of U.S. Special Forces, who’ve begun early testing. These experts recently conducted secret tests with Theseus’ latest system, indicating a significant milestone for the startup. The founders’ quick bond and risk-taking paid off big time, turning a spontaneous hack into a pioneering defense tech venture.

So there you have it—a story of youthful ingenuity, quick thinking, and how a small team’s viral feat could reshape military drone technology!