Airware Explained

Airware, Inc.
Founded:2011
Key People:Jonathan Downey (Founder) Yvonne Wassenaar (CEO)
Industry:UAV Systems
Homepage:Airware.com
Location:San Francisco, California

Airware (incorporated as Unmanned Innovation, Inc.) was an American venture-funded startup that provided commercial unmanned aerial vehicles for enterprises.[1] The company ceased operations on September 14, 2018.[2]

Airware was founded in 2011 in Newport Beach, California, by Jonathan Downey.[3] [4] The company relocated to San Francisco in January 2014.[5]

The company produced enterprise drones which combine hardware, on-aircraft and mobile software, and cloud services. Downey has stated the company is focused on building systems for drones for commercial uses, including anti-poaching efforts, infrastructure inspections, and precision agriculture.[6]

History

Airware was founded by Downey in 2011 out of a frustration with the "inflexible and costly" autopilot systems for unmanned aircraft.[7]

Airware was incubated at both Lemnos Labs and Y Combinator. In March 2016, the company announced a $30 million Series C round of financing led by Next World Capital with Andreessen Horowitz, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Cisco Systems executive chairman John T. Chambers.[8] Andreessen Horowitz partner Martin Casado, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers partner Mike Abbott, and John T. Chambers are members of the company's board.[9] In 2015, Airware launched a new venture fund for commercial drones to support "scaling the use of drones across a variety of commercial applications."[10] [11] Airware purchased Redbird, a drone analytics software company, in 2016.[12] On September 14, 2018, Airware announced it was ceasing operations effective immediately.

Products and services

Airware offered enterprise drone services combining hardware, on-aircraft and mobile software, and cloud services for industries like mining, insurance, and construction.[13] Airware offered navigation software for drones, table software to guide and monitors drones in flight, and cloud services to store and manage the information gathered by drones.[14] Where most software is designed for specific models of drones, Airware was developing a platform that enables compatibility across aircraft.[15] The company previously collaborated with commercial drone manufacturers to integrate its autopilot hardware and software, then consulted directly with enterprise clients to identify solutions and to ensure regulatory compliance.[9] [16] [17]

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Company . Airware Inc. . 2013-05-30.
  2. News: Drone startup Airware crashes, will shut down after burning $118M. Constine . Josh . . 2018-09-14.
  3. Web site: 2013-05-16 . O.C. drone software firm raises $10.7 million . 2022-09-15 . Orange County Register . en-US.
  4. Web site: Dorbian . Iris . 2013-05-15 . Airware Raises $10.7 Mln Round led by Andreessen Horowitz, Google Ventures . 2022-09-15 . PE Hub . en-US.
  5. News: Sablan . Kevin . O.C. drone company moving to Bay Area . 2 April 2014 . . 22 December 2013.
  6. News: Rhino-Saving Drones Give Surveillance a Kinder Look . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170314154737/https://sg.news.yahoo.com/video/using-drones-assist-search-rescue-231658713.html . 2017-03-14 . . 2013-06-28.
  7. News: Innovators Under 35: Jonathan Downey . . Simonite . Tom . 2016.
  8. News: Cisco's John Chambers Just Invested In A Hot Drone Startup . . 2016-03-31 . Vanian . Jonathan.
  9. News: Drone Startup Airware Raises $30 Million, Adds Cisco's John Chambers To Board . . Mac . Ryan . 2016-03-31.
  10. News: Drone OS Developer Airware Launches New Fund For Commercial Drones . Terdiman . Daniel . 2015-05-27 . Fast Company.
  11. News: Airware And DJI/Accel Launch Drone Investment Funds . Constine . Josh . 2015-05-27 . TechCrunch.
  12. News: Commercial Drone Startup Airware Buys Drone Analytics Software Redbrid . Haggin . Patience . . 2016-09-22.
  13. News: Forty Under 40: Jonathan Downey, Airware . 2017-03-09 . San Francisco Business Times.
  14. News: Airware CEO is Small Business Innovator of the year . . Jansen . Bart . 2015-12-15.
  15. News: Airware Navigates future of drones . 2015-07-27 . Jansen . Bart . USA Today.
  16. News: Haggin . Patience . Drone Startups Pivoting to Enterprise Services . . 2016-10-24 .
  17. News: Airware Takes Off With $30 Million for Commercial Drone Operating System . Haggin . Patience . 2016-03-31 . The Wall Street Journal.

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