In modern conflicts, drones have become a commonplace tool. What isn’t common is being able to control them without being jammed, intercepted, or located. Behind this invisible battle to our eyes, a French company has decided to offer a radical solution: move away from the radio spectrum to using light.
Today, the majority of military drones rely on radio communications. The issue is that the entire spectrum is saturated and highly contested. Jamming, interception, geolocation: every signal can now become a target. Our French company, Oledcomm, based in Vélizy-Villacoublay, specializes in wireless optical communications. For over 15 years, the company has been developing Li-Fi and laser technologies capable of transmitting data through light, with a clear goal: to offer faster, more secure, and completely independent radio spectrum communications. With 36 patents and about 30 million euros invested in R&D, Oledcomm is not starting from scratch.
Its solutions are already being used in demanding environments, from industry to space, with partners like CNES or ESA.
The first project developed by Oledcomm is called LISA. Its aim is to secure communications between a drone and its operator. The principle is based on Li-Fi, which uses invisible light to transmit data at very high speed. Unlike radio frequencies, this light does not penetrate obstacles but is neither detectable at a distance nor susceptible to electromagnetic interference. In a wave-saturated environment, this is a paradigm shift.
A headquarters under armor, for example, could continue to operate a drone without emitting detectable radio signals. For discreet operations or in highly contested areas, this changes the game.
The second project, another approach, is CLOVIS. Here, the objective is not only to communicate with a drone but to connect multiple vehicles to each other. The system can create a secure Li-Fi MESH (mesh network) between five platforms in less than five minutes.
The operation is automated: partner detection, alignment of light connections, and network maintenance in degraded conditions. This provides a network that is non-interceptable, non-jammable, and dynamic, capable of continuing to operate even under electronic pressure.
An unit can thus maintain its communications even in an environment where all radios would be neutralized.
Oledcomm’s Li-Fi technology has been tested during military exercises like DAFA 25 and SJIO 25, where it was praised for its robustness in critical environments. In defense, an innovation is only valuable if it works under real constraints: jamming, mobility, discretion, operational stress.
If these projects attract attention, it’s also because they have been selected by the NATO DIANA program (Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic). Out of over 3,600 candidates, only 150 were chosen, including Oledcomm. This program not only finances ideas but also offers an unprecedented mechanism: the Rapid Adoption Service.
Its principle is to test technologies directly with armed forces, validate their effectiveness in real conditions, and accelerate their adoption in less than 24 months. Once validated, a solution can be deployed without a new competitive process.
Behind these innovations, there is a booming market. Military communications are expected to reach nearly $37.7 billion in 2025, with a projection of over $50 billion by 2030. This dynamic is fueled by radio spectrum saturation, the rise of multi-domain operations, and the increase in electronic warfare.
In the next ten years, the battle will not only be about firepower but also about the invisible mastery of information flows.
Sources: Press release from Oledcomm on April 16, 2026, Mordor Intelligence report on military communications market analysis.
Featured Image: Oledcomm demonstrated LiFi with Dassault Aviation at the International Paris Air Show 2025. This technology allows for communications without radio waves (RF), making it impossible to jam, perfectly suited for sensitive environments like aeronautical maintenance.
