April 28, 2022, Osijek, Croatia – A pioneering company in the FPV industry merges with a leading drone technology startup to create an EU-Based drone powerhouse, as Orqa acquires ImmersionRC.

The deal brings together two of the most exciting companies in the FPV space, whose products and business ethos are a perfect fit. ImmersionRC, based in Switzerland, has been specializing in advanced electronics for a decade and is one of the pioneers of the FPV drone space. By contrast, Orqa was only founded in Croatia in 2018, but has quickly become a global leader in the design and manufacturing of building blocks for drones, as well as expertise in low latency video systems and next generation VR/AR headsets for the remote control of unmanned platforms and enhanced vision capabilities.

(The two CEOs shake on the deal)

Under the terms of the deal, Orqa will acquire 100% of ImmersionRC, whose CEO Tony Cake will join the Orqa team as CTIO (Chief Technology Innovation Officer). All existing IRC products will continue to be sold, developed and supported.

The addition of Cake to the Orqa team brings a wealth of experience to the young Croatian start-up, which is growing exponentially in a sector which is itself experiencing huge growth. Cake's 10 years in the FPV world, as well as over 20 years' experience in high-end test and measurement, will be a major asset.

(Orqa FPV.Ctrl with IRC Uberlite Ghost Module - an example of the excellent collaboration betweeen the two companies for more than 2 years)

Orqa CEO Srdjan Kovacevic, who is currently en route to Washington as part of the DIGITALEUROPE delegation to work with prominent US policymakers to help harmonize global digital business, is excited by the new partnership:

“With the acquisition of the IRC portfolio, Orqa now has one of the most complete drone technology portfolios in the world, and is the only company in the Western hemisphere that has all drone building blocks manufactured in-house. We are thrilled to welcome Tony – already a long-time partner and friend – to the Orqa team, and look forward to moving forward together in these exciting and innovative times.”

(Orqa FPV.One Pilot - Orqa flagship product selling in 50+ countries)

“Having already worked very successfully with Orqa for more than 2 years, primarily as production partner for the Ghost line of products, I have every confidence in the Orqa team and their vision,” said Cake. “ I am looking forward to working with them to continue to develop game-changing technologies. Together Orqa and ImmersionRC will become the most powerful engineering and products company in the FPV drone industry.”

For more information about Orqa – www.orqafpv.com

All media enquiries – Ivan Jelušić,  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , 00385989153798

April 21,  2022 - Representatives of Orqa, a world leader in developing FPV goggles for drone pilots, will meet in Washington in late April with representatives of DIGITALEUROPE - the EU's leading trade association for the growth and prosperity of European innovators and prominent US policymakers, all to harmonize global digital business.

Last year's launch of the Trade and Technology Council (TTC), established by the European Commission and the US government, marked a major milestone in strengthening transatlantic cooperation in artificial intelligence and advanced IT solutions. In the USA, the fast-growing technology company Orqa will present the European regulatory perspective closely related to the development of drones and AI and highlight the main challenges it faces in specific markets due to the differences between international laws.

"Technology innovators in Europe and the United States face several legislative obstacles to expanding their business abroad. Nevertheless, we intend to connect with key decision-makers and investors to harmonize national and international regulations, especially regarding the development and implementation of drones. Therefore, we are optimistic before leaving for Washington. We believe that we are on the right track to necessarily reduce differences between European and American laws that will bring many benefits for European startups eager to expand and all citizens," said Srdjan Kovacevic. co-owner and CEO of Orqa.

The Trade and Technology Council (TTC) aims to establish new global trade standards for emerging technology, promote democratic values online and find ways for US and EU cooperation. The importance of this trip was also recognized by DIGITALEUROPE, which is actively committed to harmonizing American and European policy regulations to benefit promising technological innovators such as Orqa. Furthermore, it fosters a regulatory environment that allows European businesses and citizens to thrive through digital technologies.

"On behalf of 36,000 companies operating and investing in Europe and 96 corporations, DIGITALEUROPE calls on the EU Commission and US policymakers to deliver on the promises they have made to the Trade and Technology Council (TCC). The biggest barriers to proliferation that Orqa and many other European innovators face are differences in European and US laws that include compliance and protection of privacy and personal data. By setting common standards, the TCC can make a significant difference and contribute to harmonizing laws on both sides of the Atlantic," explained Cecilia Bonefled-Dahl, Director General and Head of the DIGITALEUROPE Delegation.

Traveling to Washington to align US and European policy for the benefit of promising technology innovators such as Orqa is crucial for continued expansion inside and outside Europe, especially given that the EU and the US make up more than 40 percent of the global GDP.

For more, check out our business section.

February the 4th, 2022 - The Osijek company Orqa has begun developing no less than a chip design ecosystem right here in Croatia. Namely, Orqa, Osijek's FERIT and Zagreb's FER signed an agreement on cooperation in the project of designing a specialised chip for unmanned systems.

Complex chip design such as this hasn't existed in the Republic of Croatia so far, and it is on the basis of an initiative through which the rapidly-growing Osijek company Orqa d.o.o. further seeks to advance first-person (FPV) and remote reality (RR) technologies.

The goal of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Orqa, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Computing and Information Technology in Osijek and Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing in Zagreb, is the joint work of experts, engineers and academia on research and development of technologies of strategic importance for digital and a more resilient European Union (EU).

As such, for the implementation of this initiative, the signatories of the Agreement will also promote a key strategic instrument for the implementation of the EU industrial strategy - Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI).

“We intend to design a chip specialising in unmanned systems such as drones, vehicles or vessels, with the ability to upgrade to autonomous functionalities. This extremely complex project is the first project of this type in all of Croatia, we're among the first in the world, and currently there aren't enough engineering capacities for such a design.

Although this sort of staff is currently lacking here in Croatia, through this project we're trying to build capacities and train engineers in order to start the development of the chip design ecosystem in Croatia in accordance with global trends. Cooperation with faculties as staff generators plays a key role in this. Through this project, we intend to achieve a symbiosis of commercial needs on the one hand, and academic knowledge and research on the other. In addition to the aforementioned faculties, the support of the Ministry of Regional Development and EU funds is extremely important for us in order to pave the way for the further development of this attractive industry,'' said Srdjan Kovacevic, co-owner and CEO of the Osijek company Orqa. 

As a world leader in the development of video glasses for drone pilots and as a leading regional company in the drone industry, Orqa is rightly considered a leader in Croatian modern technology and innovation. This isn't a surprisie at all when one considers the research, development, and prototyping of devices in the field of first-person view (FPV) technology, remote reality (RR), video signal transmission and radio communication, and the production of electronic components and devices the company engages in - the most famous of which are video goggles for FPV drone pilots. Collaboration with STEM studios is a great opportunity both for young engineering hopefuls and for the entire technology sector. The signed Agreement is unique on the territory of the Republic of Croatia, and with it the City of Osijek and Osijek-Baranja County will be more strongly positioned in the demanding IT world.

"This agreement will further strengthen the cooperation between the two leading Croatian faculties in the field of chip design, to which the Osijek company Orqa is adding additional value. Here in Croatia, the development of the semiconductor industry is lagging behind other branches of electrical engineering, and the planned scientific research activities in cooperation with the economy will represent a significant step towards the development of microelectronics in this country. The implementation of scientific research will ensure the transfer of the latest knowledge in the economy, but also in study programmes, which will provide domestic students with additional competencies necessary for the labour market in this area,'' said Tomislav Matic, the Dean of FERIT.

In addition to FERIT, the great potential of the Osijek company Orqa was also recognised by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing from Zagreb, which has long been positioned as one of the leading Croatian educational institutions in the STEM field.

"FER is committed to an economy based on knowledge, innovation and openness to global talent. The strength of any economy lies in the high-tech sector whose progress and competitiveness is impossible without knowledge and scientific research where the academic community plays an extremely important role. This agreement created the basis for the further development of Croatian competencies in the field of chip design and verification. The agreement is also key to connecting the Croatian academic community and the Croatian economy with major European players in the semiconductor industry and ultimately creating a consortium to apply under the Important Common European Interest (VPZEI) mechanism,'' said Gordan Gledec, FER's Dean.

For more, check out Made in Croatia.