A drone can be a useful technology in today’s business world, but it can also threaten both military and public safety. And this where the SkySafe’s anti-drone solutions come in. The drone startup has made some big announcement this week.
According to TechCrunch, SkySafe is getting another big funding this week. The company has just raised a fresh $11.5 million in its Series A funding round led by led investor Andreessen Horowitz, a US-based venture capital firm.
SkySafe, a quick look
Founded in 2015 and based in San Diego, California, SkySafe offers a new level of airspace security, providing drone defense and airspace control solutions.
It uses deep threat analysis and more advanced form of radio engineering to provide anti-drone solutions to military, commercial customers (businesses), and public safety. The San Diego-based startup has been founded by drone and tech experts from MIT, the USAF Research Lab, UC San Diego and much more.
SkySafe has already worked with the US Military, providing mobile counter-UAS solutions to US Naval Special Warfare units (Navy Seals) for protection against the fast-growing drone threats. The company has been awarded by the US Defense Department a $1.5 million contract to build the anti-drone system for the US military. The company’s anti-drone solutions, which consists of some sort of mobile defense vehicle, can accompany the US military in the field to secure the military’s perimeter against drone attacks or surveillance.
As mentioned earlier by TechCrunch, the company’s radio wave solutions can be simpler and easier to deploy than the traditional anti-drone solutions. Laser-based weapon systems are considered, by many, as a more dangerous and expensive form of anti-drone technology. Additionally, laser-based weapons are also complicated to operate.
Other anti-drone solutions in the market like the netguns may prove to be ineffective because of their limited range. In contrast, SkySafe’s anti-drone tech, which consists of a radio wave solution, can detect and even stop stray drone on the spot.
The startup has already raised $3 million in seed funding, led by Andreessen Horowitz.
And this week, the company is adding another fresh capital with the same investor, but this time it’s much larger than the previous one. The company’ latest addition is an $11.5 million in Series A Funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz.
Other drone-related news
The US military is having some trouble with its one of its major drone program. This week, the US Navy has just revealed to the world the latest details about what it expects from the highly controversial Stingray drone program.
The US Navy has sent a draft request for proposals to the four leading US military’s defense contractors. These are the Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and General Atomic. The said draft request is reportedly focused mostly on tanking with no clear details of the drone’s intelligence missions.
Originally, the MQ25 Stingray has been designed as a deep strike unmanned combat air craft, capable of penetrating a heavily defended areas or the so-called area-access/area denial (A2D2) areas. However, lately, the drone runs into trouble. The US Navy is taking a shift in requirements in the drone’s design proposals, suggesting a less costly and non-stealth design.
