DroneZone News - Vol 21 - $45m Series Funding, DIABs gather pace & $250m defense contract
Richard Nelson
Founder at Airbotics Talent ?? Helping Robotics & Drone businesses scale ?? #DroneZone
We're back with the 21st edition of #DroneZone New, presented by Airbotics Talent, the newsletter dedicated to all things drones!
We’ll bring you the latest developments, trends, and insights in the world of drones and UAS. We cover a multitude of applications including:
?? Delivery & Logistics ?? Medical ?? Disaster Relief and Search & Rescue ??Agriculture ?? Surveying & Mapping ?? Inspection ?? Photography & Videography ?? Defense
Company of the Week
California headquartered Corvus Robotics are Volume 21’s Company of the Week, having successfully closed their $18m Series A round and seed funding, led by S2G Ventures and Spero Ventures.
Founded in 2017, Corvus Robotics are taking warehouse automation to new heights with the latest update to their Corvus One autonomous inventory management drone system. Their cutting-edge tech allows fully autonomous drones to manage inventory 24/7 in lights-out distribution centers, with no need for extra infrastructure like reflectors or beacons.
Check out the video below to see the system in action!
CEO & Co-Founder Jackie Wu was optimistic about the impact the funding would have on the business, with capital going toward hiring in marketing, sales and support to work with their new and ever growing customer base
“We’re growing extremely quickly, and our recent funding round will be used to help Corvus meet rapidly growing customer adoption while continuing to build products with capabilities nowhere else in the world ever has had”.
Marc Tarpenning , Venture Partner at Spero Ventures was also Co-Founder of Tesla and no stranger to launching emerging technology to market. He commented
“Corvus Robotics fits our mission to invest in companies that truly transform the way business is conducted. Other than a landing pad, its drone-powered system requires no infrastructure, is quick and easy to deploy, and cost-effective to manage. It literally merges with the existing warehouse environment”.
With the rise of warehouse, logistic and inventory management automation via drones and robotics, and now well funded, Corvus look in a strong position to become the leading player within this exciting market.
The Latest in UAV News
?? Zurich-based Voliro have successfully closed a $12 million Series A funding round, led by Cherry Ventures , bringing total capital raised to date to $22 million. This investment will accelerate the growth of Voliro's advanced drones, designed for complex industrial inspections and maintenance tasks in challenging environments.
Since their inception in 2019, Voliro has developed innovative drones with a tiltable rotor system, enabling precise NDT and contact-based inspections without scaffolding or rope access.
Florian Gutzwiller , Voliro's CEO, said
“We’re committed to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in aerial robotics, and this funding will help us accelerate that mission. The sky really is the limit for what's possible".
?? Anduril Industries have been awarded a contract worth $250 million by the Pentagon for their recoverable Roadrunner interceptor, in move to counter drone attacks against US forces. The deal will see the Defence Department acquire 500 Roadrunners and additionally Anduril's firm’s portable Pulsar electronic-warfare capability, to be integrated into aircraft to jam enemy systems. This is with the backdrop of previous DoD and SOCOM awards, including their 10 year indefinite-delivery/quantity agreement, thought to be worth up to $1b.
?? Following their $15m Series B round in July, Indian based drone asset management specialists AEREO confirmed yesterday that an additional $1.8m had been raised by JSW Ventures . Click HERE to read their full announcement.
AEREO CEO & Co-Founder Vipul Singh commented
“We are thrilled to welcome JSW Ventures as a partner in our growth journey through this Series B round. Their trust and support are a strong testament to our innovative approach and our mission to transform asset management through drone technology”.
Having already mapped over 45,000 villages and covered over 50,000 square kilometres of land domestically, plans are afoot to expand into international markets such as Australia, Brazil and Africa.
?? Matternet has launched its first drone delivery service in Silicon Valley, expanding from a successful pilot that began on August 30. Operating in Mountain View and Sunnyvale, the FAA-certified Matternet M2 drones deliver packages directly to customers’ doorsteps using a Tether Drop system. Matternet plans to collaborate with major logistics partners for broader expansion, establishing itself as a leader in the future of urban logistics.
Andreas Raptopoulos , Founder & CEO, stated
领英推荐
“After years of advancing drone delivery in healthcare, we’re excited to launch our first home delivery operation in the heart of Silicon Valley. We’re entering the next phase of scale in drone delivery — building a new layer of ultra-efficient logistics infrastructure that will become an essential utility for every household”.
?? UK UAV manufacturer, Evolve Dynamics , has secured an Innovate UK Smart Grant to develop its innovative Drone-in-a-Box (DIAB) technology aimed at enhancing emergency response. The Drone as First Responder (DFR) system offers rapid deployment, flying autonomously for up to 45 minutes while providing live video and audio feeds. Designed for versatility, it can be mounted on vehicles or carried by individuals.
CEO & Founder Mike Dewhirst was naturally optimistic with the news
"We’re delighted and honoured that Innovate UK has recognised the potential of our Drone-In-A-Box technology. We believe this capability holds immense opportunities and is a truly disruptive technology that can transform the way in which first responders operate and work".
?? Sphere Drones have secured a contract with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to supply HubX drone-in-a-box systems as part of the $1.89 million Natural Hazards Technology Program. This follows recent success with the Western Australian Police Force’s Drones as First Responder initiative. The HubX system enables remote operations with Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) capabilities, enhancing NPWS's monitoring of key national parks.
Paris Cockinos , Sphere Drones' CEO, said
“We’re proud to partner with NPWS to safeguard some of the most ecologically important regions in New South Wales. HubX’s innovative technology will allow NPWS to deploy drones quickly in remote areas, boosting their capability to monitor high-risk zones, prevent bushfires, and conserve endangered wildlife. Following our success with WA Police, this win reinforces our commitment to providing practical, impactful solutions for public safety and environmental conservation across Australia”.
?? Flyability announced it has signed a MOU with 三星电子 to develop advanced unmanned indoor inspection technologies to be integrated into and used in their semiconductor facilities. The move will see Swiss scaleup manufacture and supply the drones whilst Samsung are responsible for their maintenance and servicing. Whilst the MOU is non-binding, the partnership is clearly a coup with a customer the size of the South Korean electronics leader.
?? Above and DroneDeploy have teamed up to enhance solar plant management, offering streamlined solutions for construction and asset monitoring. Their integrated platform combines DroneDeploy’s automated aerial inspections and high-accuracy mapping with Above’s SolarGain platform, which supports real-time progress tracking and on-the-go access. Key features include Digital Twin technology for fast commissioning and condition monitoring, ensuring solar assets remain optimized over time.
Peregrine Fraser , Chief Commercial Officer at Above commented
“By combining our expertise with DroneDeploy's innovative automation technology, we are setting a new standard in solar plant management. This partnership enables our customers to make data-driven decisions with unprecedented speed and accuracy, maximising the efficiency and lifespan of their solar assets”.
That's all for this week's edition #DroneZone! We hope you enjoyed reading about the latest trends, news, and insights from the world of drones. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter via LinkedIn or Email and follow the hashtag #DroneZone to receive all the latest updates ??
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Until next time, happy flying! ??