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

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.[2]

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]

References

  1. ^ "Company". Airware Inc. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
  2. ^ a b Constine, Josh (2018-09-14). "Drone startup Airware crashes, will shut down after burning $118M". TechCrunch.
  3. ^ "O.C. drone software firm raises $10.7 million". Orange County Register. 2013-05-16. Retrieved 2022-09-15.
  4. ^ Dorbian, Iris (2013-05-15). "Airware Raises $10.7 Mln Round led by Andreessen Horowitz, Google Ventures". PE Hub. Retrieved 2022-09-15.
  5. ^ Sablan, Kevin (22 December 2013). "O.C. drone company moving to Bay Area". Orange County Register. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  6. ^ "Rhino-Saving Drones Give Surveillance a Kinder Look". Bloomberg Businessweek. 2013-06-28. Archived from the original on 2017-03-14.
  7. ^ Simonite, Tom (2016). "Innovators Under 35: Jonathan Downey". MIT Technology Review.
  8. ^ Vanian, Jonathan (2016-03-31). "Cisco's John Chambers Just Invested In A Hot Drone Startup". Fortune.
  9. ^ a b Mac, Ryan (2016-03-31). "Drone Startup Airware Raises $30 Million, Adds Cisco's John Chambers To Board". Forbes.
  10. ^ Terdiman, Daniel (2015-05-27). "Drone OS Developer Airware Launches New Fund For Commercial Drones". Fast Company.
  11. ^ Constine, Josh (2015-05-27). "Airware And DJI/Accel Launch Drone Investment Funds". TechCrunch.
  12. ^ Haggin, Patience (2016-09-22). "Commercial Drone Startup Airware Buys Drone Analytics Software Redbrid". The Wall Street Journal.
  13. ^ "Forty Under 40: Jonathan Downey, Airware". San Francisco Business Times. 2017-03-09.
  14. ^ Jansen, Bart (2015-12-15). "Airware CEO is Small Business Innovator of the year". USA Today.
  15. ^ Jansen, Bart (2015-07-27). "Airware Navigates future of drones". USA Today.
  16. ^ Haggin, Patience (2016-10-24). "Drone Startups Pivoting to Enterprise Services". The Wall Street Journal.
  17. ^ 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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