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Airobotics

Aviation · Petah Tikva, Israel · Founded 2014

Airobotics, founded in 2014 by Ran Krauss and Meir Kliner, develops and operates autonomous drone solutions for complex industrial, governmental, and commercial environments. The company was established to create a fully automated, end-to-end system for aerial data collection and analysis, removing the need for human pilots. Co-founder Ran Krauss's journey into the drone industry was sparked by a toy drone purchase, which led him to become the first licensed commercial drone pilot in Israel and to found two other drone-related companies, Bladeworx and ParaZero, before starting Airobotics. In January 2023, Airobotics was acquired by Ondas Holdings (NASDAQ: ONDS) for approximately $15.2 million and now operates as a subsidiary alongside American Robotics. The company's primary offering is a drone-in-a-box platform, the "Optimus System," which includes an industrial-grade drone, an automated airbase station, and management software. This system is designed for 24/7 autonomous operation; the airbase handles robotic battery and payload swapping, allowing for continuous, on-demand missions without human intervention. Airobotics targets sectors such as mining, seaports, oil & gas, smart cities, and defense and homeland security. Its business model focuses on direct B2B sales and providing a complete solution as a service, which includes the hardware, software, regulatory compliance support, and IT services, generating recurring revenue. Airobotics' platform provides solutions for digital transformation, including automated monitoring, inspection, surveying, and security. For urban environments, the company offers a drone infrastructure designed to shorten emergency response times for security and rescue forces and support municipal services. A significant addition to its portfolio is the Iron Drone Raider, a counter-UAS (unmanned aerial system) that autonomously detects, tracks, and physically neutralizes hostile drones using a net and parachute. This system can operate without GPS or RF jamming, making it suitable for deployment in sensitive areas like airports and critical infrastructure sites. The company has received FAA Type Certification for its Optimus System, a key regulatory milestone. Keywords: autonomous drones, drone-in-a-box, industrial inspection, aerial data collection, unmanned aerial systems, UAS, counter-drone, C-UAS, homeland security, smart city infrastructure, automated surveillance, mining automation, asset monitoring, regulatory compliance, robotic arm, drone docking station, BVLOS, public safety drones, defense technology, Iron Drone Raider, Optimus System