HomeBelgium-StartupsAntwerp-based Unifly raises €5 million to become a global leader with its...

Antwerp-based Unifly raises €5 million to become a global leader with its drone traffic management software

Unifly, Europe’s leading provider of Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) and Drone Operations Management software, secured a total investment of €5 million from the Japanese drone operator Terra Drone and from Qbic and PMV. Terra Drone provides 80% of the total capital.

Antwerp-based Unifly will use the investment to accelerate its growth and to build an international sales organisation. The VITO spin-off Unifly was founded in 2015. The young company has already gained the leading position in Europe by now as provider of software to manage unmanned air traffic in combination with regular aviation. Its product development and launch was financed by the SOFI Fund. Together with the current financing, the total amount of external funding is now €6.3 million. Being the single largest investment in a UTM software company in Europe, it illustrates the trust of the investors in the technology and the team of Unifly.

The market for Unmanned Traffic Management is still very young, but since the introduction of Unifly’s application software for professional and private drone operators in April 2016, over 1,000 users have registered, of whom over 30 % from outside of Europe.

Unifly aims to become the de facto standard for professional drone operators. Therefore, Unifly is partnering in global initiatives such as the Global UTM Association and ISO to develop standards for Unmanned Traffic Management.

Marc Kegelaers, CEO of Unifly stated: “We are very proud and excited to have been able to attract Terra Drone as an investor. Not only do they bring us the resources enabling us to accelerate our growth significantly; they will also be instrumental to opening up the market for us in the APAC region”.

Toru Tokushige of Terra Drone commented: ”I am very glad and excited to enter into the UTM business and alliance with Unifly, the leading company of UTM. In the partnership with Unifly, we will expand the business in APAC, and also set the global standard. We are eager to launch the service to accelerate the drone industry as soon as possible.”

Thomas Ohr
Thomas Ohr
Thomas Ohr is the "Editor in Chief" of EU-Startups.com and started the blog in October 2010. He is excited about Europe's future, passionate about new business ideas and lives in Barcelona (Spain).
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