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Airware, Inc.
IndustryUAV Systems
Founded2011
HeadquartersSan Francisco, California
Key people
Jonathan Downey (Founder) Yvonne Wassenaar (CEO)
WebsiteAirware.com

Airware (incorporated as Unmanned Innovation, Inc.) is an American venture-funded startup that provides commercial unmanned aerial vehicles for enterprises.[1] Airware was founded in 2011 in Newport Beach, California, by Jonathan Downey. The company relocated to San Francisco in January 2014.[2]

The company produces 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.[3]

The company ceased operations on September 14, 2018.[4]

History

Airware was founded by Downey in 2011 out of a frustration with the "inflexible and costly" autopilot systems for unmanned aircraft.[5]

Airware was incubated at both Lemnos Labs and Y Combinator. The company has raised $70 million in venture funding from Andreessen Horowitz, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Next World Capital, First Round Capital, Google Ventures, Intel Capital and GE Ventures.[6] 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.[7] Andreessen Horowitz partner Martin Casado, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers partner Mike Abbott, and John T. Chambers are members of the company's board.[8] In 2015, Airware launched a new venture fund for commercial drones to support "scaling the use of drones across a variety of commercial applications."[9][10] Airware purchased Redbird, a drone analytics software company, in 2016.[11] On September 14, 2018, Airware announced it was ceasing operations effective immediately.[4]

Products and services

Airware offers enterprise drone services combining hardware, on-aircraft and mobile software, and cloud services for industries like mining, insurance, and construction.[12] Airware offers 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.[13] Where most software is designed for specific models of drones, Airware is developing a platform that enables compatibility across aircraft.[14] The company previously collaborated with commercial drone manufacturers to integrate its autopilot hardware and software, but now consults directly with enterprise clients to identify solutions and to ensure regulatory compliance.[8][15][16]

References

  1. ^ "Company". Airware Inc. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
  2. ^ Sablan, Kevin (22 December 2013). "O.C. drone company moving to Bay Area". Orange County Register. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  3. ^ "Rhino-Saving Drones Give Surveillance a Kinder Look". Bloomberg Businessweek. 2013-06-28.
  4. ^ a b Constine, Josh (2018-09-14). "Drone startup Airware crashes, will shut down after burning $118M". TechCrunch.
  5. ^ Simonite, Tom (2016). "Innovators Under 35: Jonathan Downey". MIT Technology Review.
  6. ^ "Airware". Crunchbase. Retrieved 2016-04-07.
  7. ^ Vanian, Jonathan (2016-03-31). "Cisco's John Chambers Just Invested In A Hot Drone Startup". Fortune.
  8. ^ a b Mac, Ryan (2016-03-31). "Drone Startup Airware Raises $30 Million, Adds Cisco's John Chambers To Board". Forbes.
  9. ^ Terdiman, Daniel (2015-05-27). "Drone OS Developer Airware Launches New Fund For Commercial Drones". Fast Company.
  10. ^ Constine, Josh (2015-05-27). "Airware And DJI/Accel Launch Drone Investment Funds". TechCrunch.
  11. ^ Haggin, Patience (2016-09-22). "Commercial Drone Startup Airware Buys Drone Analytics Software Redbrid". The Wall Street Journal.
  12. ^ "Forty Under 40: Jonathan Downey, Airware". San Francisco Business Times. 2017-03-09.
  13. ^ Jansen, Bart (2015-12-15). "Airware CEO is Small Business Innovator of the year". USA Today.
  14. ^ Jansen, Bart (2015-07-27). "Airware Navigates future of drones". USA Today.
  15. ^ Haggin, Patience (2016-10-24). "Drone Startups Pivoting to Enterprise Services". The Wall Street Journal.
  16. ^ Haggin, Patience (2016-03-31). "Airware Takes Off With $30 Million for Commercial Drone Operating System". The Wall Street Journal.

Further reading

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