A Windows for drone flight controllers? AirMap steps up funding
23/02/2017 12:33
FRANKFURT, Feb 23 (Reuters) - AirMap, which has rocketed to
become the world's top air traffic management software platform
for drones, is raising $26 million in new financing from the
venture arms of top tech firms ranging form Microsoft MSFT.O
to Airbus AIR.PA .
The start-up is taking funding from a group led by
Microsoft Ventures and joined by the venture arms of aerospace
giant Airbus, chipmaker Qualcomm QCOM.O , Japanese tech firms
Rakuten 4755.T and Sony 6758.T and China's Yuneec, a top
drone maker.
AirMap provides real-time traffic management software for 80
percent of the world's drones, including millions of drones from
hundreds of manufacturers, allowing drones and their controllers
to share data needed to fly safely at low altitudes.
The company was founded only two years ago. Its software
works on both piloted and autonomous drones used in both
commercial and recreational applications.
"This round is all about finding a set of partners to help
us globalise," AirMap Chief Executive Ben Marcus said in an
interview.
(Reporting by Eric Auchard; Editing by Maria Sheahan)
((eric.auchard@thomsonreuters.com; +49 69 7565 1235; Reuters
Messaging: eric.auchard.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
Keywords: AEROSPACE DRONES/AIRMAP