When Drones Lose Connection: Why We Backed Arke Telekom

ArkeLink combines anti-jamming technology and self-healing mesh networking to keep unmanned systems connected in contested environments.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, are changing the way modern conflicts are fought. They have become smaller, cheaper, more capable, and increasingly central to military operations. But even the most sophisticated drone has a fundamental vulnerability: its communication link.

In contested environments, electronic warfare can jam radio signals, disrupt satellite-based synchronization, and disable critical communication links. Conventional systems that rely on a central connection are particularly vulnerable: when that link fails, entire drone networks can lose connectivity. Keeping drones connected to their operators and to each other, even under such conditions, is becoming one of the defining challenges of unmanned operations.

This shift is creating a new challenge for communications technology. Solutions originally developed for large, expensive military platforms are not necessarily suited to smaller drones operating in greater numbers.

This is the problem Arke Telekom is setting out to solve.

Rethinking how drones communicate

Based in Ankara, Türkiye, Arke Telekom is developing ArkeLink, a compact, software-defined communication system designed to keep drones connected in contested environments.

What makes ArkeLink particularly interesting is how it brings together several advanced communication technologies in a single system.

Its self-forming and self-healing mesh network allows drones to communicate without relying on a single central connection. If one link is lost, the network can find an alternative route. Combined with advanced anti-jamming capabilities, this architecture is designed to maintain reliable communications even in challenging environments.

Crucially, ArkeLink is also designed to maintain network synchronization without relying on satellite navigation signals, a capability that becomes particularly valuable in GNSS-denied environments.

Behind these capabilities lies a proprietary waveform and networking architecture developed by Arke's own engineers.

The ambition is not simply to build another drone radio. It is to create a scalable communications platform that can support different unmanned systems and mission requirements.

Why we invested

What convinced us about Arke Telekom was the rare combination of deep engineering expertise and proven experience in delivering tactical communication technologies.

Co-founders Dr. Saygun Önay and Barış Karadeniz, together with COO Dr. Tolga Numanoğlu, have spent decades designing and developing advanced radio communication systems, waveforms, and embedded software. Their experience spans senior engineering and leadership roles at leading defense and communications technology companies, as well as the successful delivery of demanding communications projects.

These are engineers who have built the technologies they are now bringing together in ArkeLink. They know what it takes to turn sophisticated communications technology into systems that meet the demanding requirements of real-world defense applications.

Arke Telekom leadership team: Dr. Saygun Önay (Co-founder & CEO), Dr. Tolga Numanoğlu (COO), and Barış Karadeniz (Co-founder & CTO).

For ACT, this combination of proven engineering capabilities, differentiated technology, and a rapidly growing market need makes Arke a compelling deep-tech investment.

From engineering expertise to a global product

Arke Telekom's selection for NATO DIANA, the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic, represents an important milestone, connecting the company with an international network of defense innovators, test centers, and potential partners.

With our €1 million investment, we aim to support Arke in bringing its advanced communications technology to a broader international market.

While defense applications are the immediate focus, we also see potential beyond the battlefield. Emergency response, public safety, and critical infrastructure safety operations face similar challenges in maintaining reliable communications under difficult conditions.

We see ArkeLink as more than a communications module. It represents an opportunity to build a globally competitive technology business serving a new generation of unmanned systems, with applications extending well beyond defense.

And we look forward to working with Saygun, Barış, Tolga, and the entire Arke team as they take that next step.