Israeli industrial drone developer Airobotics announced today the closing of a $32.5 million financing 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 (Waze CEO), 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).
Airobotics is expanding operations in industrial facilities such as mine sites, refineries, seaports, oil and gas facilities and more. With this fundraising, the company is also 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.
The Petah Tikva based company, which was founded by CEO Ran Krauss and VP R&D Meir Kliner, raised $28.5 million last year.
Krauss said, “We continue to execute our vision: taking the human pilot out of the loop and increasing the value drones can create. 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.” “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.”
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on September 7, 2017
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