Drones are quickly becoming more than just flying selfie cameras. Amid rising geopolitical tensions, drone manufacturers are experiencing increased demand and acceptance as drones move out of the hands of consumers.
skydio has announced a round of financing of 230 million dollars of the Series E and the construction of a new manufacturing plant in the United States. The company claims it has grown 30-fold in the last three years and is now the largest drone maker in the United States. the round of the E Series it was led by Linse Capital, with participation from existing investors Andreessen Horowitz, Next47, IVP, DoCoMo, Nvidia, the Walton Family Foundation and UP.Partners. Hercules Capital and Axon, the company behind taser cameras and police body cameras, also invested in Skydio.
Skydio claims its drones are used by all branches of the US Department of Defense, by more than half of the US Departments of Transportation, and by more than 200 public safety agencies in 47 states.. But of course it helps that government agencies can't buy or use drones from market leader DJI for safety reasons.
In a statement, Skydio co-founder and CEO, Adam Bry claims that the company sees "extraordinary demand around the world from organizations that serve important needs for all citizens." This includes, in his opinion, basic industries such as transportation, public safety, energy, construction, communications, defense, and more.
Skydio stands apart from the competition through its autonomous capabilities. The company had viral success with its original drone, which featured market-leading collision-avoidance detection. The company continues to offer these capabilities, but has pushed the industry forward with additional features and functionality. Last December, Skydio announced a docking station and a new platform that allows drones to be flown without the need for an operator. Current visual piloting regulations limit this product, but Skydio has a solution for this as well and is now working with companies to expand their drone programs.
Skydio's new manufacturing facility is located in Hayward, California. The facilities have an area of 36.000 square feet, which means multiplying by 10 the current capacity. In addition, the company expects to hire 150 manufacturing employees to staff the new facility.
