a manufacturer of fully automated industrial drones, has announced the completion of a $32.5 million funding round, led by BlueRun Ventures China, as well as Microsoft Ventures, OurCrowd.com and another strategic investor.
Airobotics has also received funding from existing investors including, CRV, BRV, Noam Bardin (CEO of Waze), Richard Wooldridge (former COO/GTM of building 8 at Facebook and former COO of Google ATAP) and David Roux (Co-Founder and former Chairman of Silver Lake Partners).
An Optimus drone taking off from its ‘autonomous airbase’
Airobotics is expanding its hold in industrial facilities such as mine sites, refineries, seaports, oil and gas facilities and more.
With this fundraising, the company is announcing its new division of Homeland Security and Defense, as well as its new “Airobotics Safe Cities” initiative: using fully automated drones to perform emergency critical applications in cities.
Airobotics has developed a fully automated end-to-end drone solution, used for collecting data and gaining aerial insights. This first of its kind solution reduces risks and costs associated with drone operations while improving efficiency.
Airobotics is the first company in the world to be granted authorization to fly fully automated drones without a pilot, as licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI), which positions the company as a world-leader in the field of automated drones.
Airobotics test site demonstrates how an operational site of Optimus UAVs operates completely autonomously, with drones operating from ‘airbase’ launch pads, from which drones take off, land and recharge automatically, with no human assistance. Missions are also performed autonomously, with mission data transferred to the control center in real time
“We continue to execute our vision: taking the human pilot out of the loop and increasing the value drones can create,” says Ran Krauss, CEO and Co-Founder at Airobotics. “This fundraising enables us to continue to expand, within industrial facilities, and with our newly launched Defense division. Our next stop – automated drones in cities.”
“We are thrilled to lead this round of investment,” says Jiajie Wu, Executive Director, BlueRun Ventures China. “Airobotics is a game changer, which has successfully matched revolutionary drone technologies with real industrial needs. In addition to its existing customer base in Western countries, we believe Airobotics will see substantial opportunities in Asia, which is one of the world’s largest industrial markets.”
“Drones have enormous potential to impact how we live and work – making cities safer, improving response times during emergencies, and creating more efficient industrial facilities,” said Mony Hassid, General Manager and Managing Director, Microsoft Ventures EMEA. “Fully automated drones will be a big step forward for the industry, so we’re excited to support Airobotics’ ambition in this space.”
Source: Press Release