Aerialtronics

Aerialtronics operates as a developer of end-to-end solutions that integrate unmanned aerial systems (UAS), artificial intelligence, and IoT data to deliver actionable insights for various business sectors. The company’s business model centers on designing, manufacturing, and distributing professional civil drones and embedded AI, serving clients primarily in the security, inspection, surveying, and mapping industries. Its clientele historically includes police forces and government agencies.

Founded in the Netherlands in 2011 by Robin van de Putte, the company experienced a significant strategic shift after facing financial difficulties. In September 2017, Aerialtronics was declared bankrupt and its assets were subsequently acquired by the French manufacturer Drone Volt. This acquisition allowed Drone Volt to enhance its product offerings, particularly in the security sector, and expand its industrial and commercial footprint in Europe. Drone Volt initially took a 50.2% majority stake and fully acquired the company by September 2020. A further corporate development occurred in June 2021, when Drone Volt sold 50% of Aerialtronics to its American partner, Aquiline Drones, to pool R&D expertise, though Drone Volt retained operational control.

The company's flagship product is the Altura Zenith, a versatile commercial drone built from a lightweight carbon fiber design. It features high redundancy with eight motors and multiple IMUs for safety and can operate for up to 40 minutes in adverse weather conditions, including rain and high winds. A key selling point of the Zenith platform is its broad payload compatibility, enabled by the Altura Cardan system, which allows for the integration of over 35 different cameras and sensors. This includes thermal imaging, multispectral cameras, and specialized monitors for detecting gases. The system is complemented by the PENSAR, an intelligent camera platform powered by an NVIDIA Jetson GPU, which performs real-time, AI-based aerial data processing to detect, classify, and track objects of interest.

Keywords: unmanned aerial systems, drone manufacturer, aerial data, artificial intelligence, IoT data, Altura Zenith, PENSAR camera, drone inspection, drone surveying, public safety drone, government drone solutions, Drone Volt, Aquiline Drones, commercial drones, payload compatibility, real-time data processing, computer vision, unmanned aircraft, professional drones, industrial inspection