Done deal: FLIR closes buy of Endeavor Robotics

FLIR Systems said Monday it has closed its acquisition of unmanned ground vehicle manufacturer Endeavor Robotics for $382 million in cash.

Endeavor becomes a part of FLIR’s unmanned systems and integrated solutions division, a part of its government and defense business unit. The management team of Endeavor is joining FLIR through the transaction, which represents an exit for private equity firm Arlington Capital Partners.

Arlington Capital acquired what is now Endeavor in 2016 from former parent iRobot, where the business was formerly that company’s defense business.

First announced in early February, FLIR’s deal for Endeavor is aimed at building a more complete portfolio of not just unmanned platforms but the underlying technologies that support them such as sensors and control systems.

FLIR already has a vast sensor portfolio and has quickly built a sizeable unmanned business through acquisitions. Including Endeavor, FLIR has made three acquisitions in that market including Aeryon Labs in January of this year and Prox Dynamics in late 2016.

The deal for Endeavor also is part of FLIR’s strategy to further enable teamed missions between manned and unmanned platforms, plus the human users in both categories.

Since the spinout from iRobot, Endeavor has concentrated much of its energy on pursuing long-term programs of record with the U.S. military as opposed to the quicker-turn buys that shaped unmanned ground vehicle acquisitions during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.