Airspace Link today announces that it has raised $ 10 million in Series A from Altos Ventures, Thales, and others. The Detroit, Michigan-based startup expects to use the additional funds to expand its domestic offering and expand overseas.
CEO Michael Healander explains to TechCrunch that the company sees airspaces as digital infrastructure with no critical regulations. “Today there are rules and regulations for the road,” he explains, explaining that the company is building digital roads and management for drones. Airspace Link’s novel platform addresses the concerns of drone operators and communities and enables pilots to fly safely while complying with local airspace restrictions.
Airspace Link’s AirHub ™ is the first cloud-based drone platform exclusively focused on connecting state and local needs with the operational planning tools already used by pilots.
Airspace Links provides tools for planning drone operations, including API access that allows developers to integrate Airspace Link’s data with third-party platforms. The company’s system complies with the FAA’s LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability), which enables drone pilots to submit in-flight operations in controlled airspace. The company is one of seven FAA approved companies to offer this service.
According to Healander, the aim of the Series A integration is to integrate into as many transport groups as possible.
The Detroit-based startup was founded in 2018 by Michael Healander, Daniel Bradshaw and Ana Healander and has 20 full-time employees. The company announced in a press release that it has partnerships with over 40 government agencies and local authorities in the United States. In the future, the company aims to expand into Australia and Canada.
According to Healander, Airspace Link differs from the rest of its competitors in the market because it integrates with mapping tools that local governments use to provide information about ground-based risks.
“Our main goal is to safely integrate drones into national airspace and into our communities,” Healander said. “We thank Altos Ventures and Thales for joining our vision to pave the way for the drone economy with a shared, neutral and affordable UAS infrastructure.”
For Healander, Airspace Link is just the newest entrepreneurial venture. He previously founded GeoMetri, an indoor GPS tracking company acquired by Acuity Brands.
Altos Ventures led the Series A round of Airspace Link, with participation from Thales, a global leader in air traffic management systems.
“As the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) continues to grow, airspace management must combine both aerial and ground intelligence for safe low-altitude operations in communities,” said Todd Donovan, Thales vice president of Airspace Mobility Solutions Americas. “Our in-depth knowledge of airspace management and Airspace Link’s expertise in geospatial intelligence are the perfect combination to tackle this complex challenge.”