Exyn Technologies Forms Defense Advisory Board, Names Former Trump Administration Pentagon Official and Green Beret Andrew Knaggs as Inaugural Member

PHILADELPHIA, PA, Aug. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Exyn Technologies (“Exyn” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: EXYN, EXYNW), a leader in autonomous mapping and perception-driven navigation for complex, GPS-denied environments, today announced the formation of its Defense Advisory Board and the appointment of Andrew Knaggs, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Combating Terrorism during the Trump Administration, as its inaugural member. The Defense Advisory Board is intended to strengthen Exyn’s ability to convert its field-proven autonomy technology into U.S. and allied defense programs as the Company intends to scale Exyn Defense.

Key Highlights

• Establishes a formal defense advisory structure to support Exyn Defense, the defense business of Exyn Technologies, as it pursues U.S. and allied defense programs.
• Inaugural member Andrew Knaggs served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Combating Terrorism from 2017 to 2019 and, earlier in his government career, managed a $1 billion research and development portfolio and a $300 million budget as Chief of Research & Engineering at the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO). He is also a decorated former U.S. Army Special Forces officer (“Green Beret”) who commanded a Special Forces Operational Detachment-A and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for combat actions.
• ExynAI is already fielded on small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) in active U.S. Department of War and UK Ministry of Defence programs.
• Follows a series of previously announced 2026 U.S. government engagements, including projects with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the competitive selection of Exyn Nexys by a leading U.S. government research and engineering organization, a Green UAS certification initiative for the Nexys platform, and a planned demonstration and operational pilot with the U.S. Air Force’s Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex.
• Exyn expects to appoint additional members with complementary expertise across military operations, defense acquisition, autonomous systems, national security and the defense industrial base.

The Defense Advisory Board has been established to support the continued growth of Exyn Defense, the defense business of Exyn, and to help accelerate the deployment of advanced autonomous capabilities across U.S. and allied defense programs.

The formation of the Defense Advisory Board follows a period of expanding U.S. government and defense activity for Exyn. In July 2026, the Company announced new contracts supporting U.S. government initiatives, including projects with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and a planned demonstration and operational pilot with the U.S. Air Force’s Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex focused on autonomous aircraft inspection and cargo mapping, the Company’s first announced move into defense sustainment and the Department’s Organic Industrial Base. In August 2026, Exyn announced that Exyn Nexys had been selected by a leading U.S. government research and engineering organization following a head-to-head technical evaluation against other commercial systems.

The Defense Advisory Board will bring together senior leaders with experience spanning military operations, national security, defense technology, acquisition and the defense industrial base. Members are expected to advise Exyn’s leadership on defense strategy, emerging mission requirements, acquisition and transition pathways, partnerships, and opportunities to integrate ExynAI across new platforms and mission sets.

“Autonomy is rapidly becoming a critical capability for the modern battlefield, particularly in contested environments where GPS and communications cannot be assumed,” said Brandon Torres Declet, Chief Executive Officer of Exyn. “We have spent more than a decade proving resilient autonomy in the field, and our focus now is converting that foundation into defense programs at scale. We expect the Defense Advisory Board to give Exyn direct access to leaders who understand not only the operational and technological challenges of getting advanced capabilities into the hands of the warfighter, but also the requirements, authorities and acquisition processes that determine which technologies actually get fielded. Andrew’s combination of special operations experience, senior Pentagon leadership and defense technology and manufacturing expertise is exactly the perspective we want as we intend to scale Exyn Defense, and we are pleased to welcome him as the board’s inaugural member.”

About Andrew Knaggs

Andrew Knaggs is an accomplished senior executive, attorney and national security leader with extensive experience spanning U.S. defense policy, military special operations, defense technology, manufacturing, supply chain management and government contracting.

From 2017 to 2019, Mr. Knaggs served in the Trump Administration as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Combating Terrorism, where he led Department of Defense policy and global authorities for U.S. Special Operations Forces, counterterrorism, irregular warfare, information operations, hostage recovery and sensitive military operations. Earlier in his government career, he served as Chief of Research & Engineering at the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO), the Department’s counter-improvised explosive device organization, managing a $1 billion research and development portfolio and a $300 million budget, experience directly relevant to how emerging technologies are evaluated, funded and transitioned into military programs.

Mr. Knaggs is a decorated former U.S. Army Special Forces officer, a “Green Beret”, who commanded an Operational Detachment-A in the 5th Special Forces Group and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for combat actions. He completed multiple combat tours, including two deployments to Iraq, during nearly a decade of military service.

Currently, Mr. Knaggs serves as President of Evolution Metals & Technologies Corp., where he has been a key member of the Evolution Metals enterprise since 2020. Previously, he served as Chief Executive Officer of PACEM Solutions International, an international training and security services company, and PACEM Defense, a manufacturer of munitions and other export-controlled defense products, roles spanning the defense industrial base, export-controlled manufacturing and defense supply chain management.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Knaggs founded a Washington, D.C.-based corporate law firm advising investors and businesses on strategic growth and corporate matters. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at George Washington University Law School and is a member of the District of Columbia Bar. Mr. Knaggs earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and a Juris Doctor from William & Mary Law School.

“Exyn’s autonomous technology addresses a fundamental requirement of modern warfare: robotic systems need to continue operating when GPS, communications and direct human control are disrupted or unavailable,” said Mr. Knaggs. “Having spent my career at the intersection of special operations, technology and national security, I have seen how difficult it is to move a capability from demonstration to fielded program, and how much of that depends on understanding requirements, authorities and acquisition pathways. Exyn has already proven this autonomy in the field, which is the hardest part to replicate. I am honored to join the Defense Advisory Board as its inaugural member and look forward to helping the Company bring these capabilities to more platforms, partners and warfighters.”

Exyn expects to appoint additional members to the Defense Advisory Board with complementary expertise across military operations, defense acquisition, autonomous systems, national security and the defense industrial base.

About Exyn Defense

Exyn Defense develops AI-powered autonomy software for military and national security applications. Powered by ExynAI, the company's software enables aerial and ground robotic systems to autonomously navigate, map, and operate in GPS-denied, communications-denied, and unknown environments without prior maps or continuous human control. Exyn Defense is advancing mission-ready autonomy for defense organizations seeking to improve situational awareness, reduce operator burden, and extend robotic operations into the world's most challenging environments.

About Exyn Technologies

Exyn Technologies (NASDAQ: EXYN, EXYNW) is a leader in autonomous mapping and perception-driven navigation for complex, GPS-denied environments. The Company’s technology enables teams to capture accurate 3D data in environments that are dark, disconnected, hazardous, or difficult to access. Exyn’s solutions support customers across mining, construction, infrastructure, geospatial, industrial, government, and defense applications.

For more information, visit www.exyn.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the establishment, composition, role and expected contributions of the Company’s Defense Advisory Board; the expectation that additional members will be appointed to the Defense Advisory Board; the anticipated growth, strategy and market opportunity for Exyn Defense; the potential capabilities, performance, applications and market opportunities for ExynAI and Exyn Nexys; the anticipated timing, scope and outcome of the Company’s previously announced government and defense engagements, including projects with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Green UAS certification initiative and the planned demonstration and operational pilot with the U.S. Air Force’s Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex; the demand for autonomous robotic and 3D mapping capabilities among defense and government customers; and the Company’s expectations regarding market growth, deployment opportunities, partnerships, mission-specific autonomy applications, and future commercial or strategic opportunities. There can be no assurance that the formation of the Defense Advisory Board or the appointment described in this press release will result in any additional contracts, revenue, program awards or other business for the Company.

These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions, and beliefs of the Company’s management, including assumptions regarding market demand, customer adoption, technology performance, procurement activity, defense and government spending, competitive conditions, third-party market forecasts, and the Company’s ability to execute its strategy. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, Exyn’s ability to commercialize and deploy ExynAI, Exyn Nexys and other autonomy solutions; adoption of autonomous robotics and 3D mapping solutions; product performance, safety, cybersecurity and integration in GPS-denied and other complex environments; defense, OEM, industrial and government customer purchasing decisions; defense priorities, budgets, procurement processes and contract timing; the Company’s ability to convert initial deployments and advisory relationships into additional or recurring business; the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern and to raise substantial additional funds in the future; competition, technological change, supply chain, manufacturing, regulatory, export-control and government-contracting risks; IP protection; and the other risks and uncertainties described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “designed,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “potential,” “projects,” “seeks,” “should,” “targets,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

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Exyn
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