Delair expands commercial operations with Airware acquisition

French drone solutions supplier Delair will acquire the key assets of Airware, a San Francisco-based developer of software analytics tools for drone-based data.

The agreement between the two companies includes a business continuity plan to ensure existing Airware customers and dealers receive support and service—as well as upgrades—as needed. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Delair said the acquisition brings it technology assets which include a proven software solution, a skilled engineering and customer success team in Paris and an installed base of customers and dealers worldwide. The addition of Airware's assets will expand Delair’s presence in the U.S., as well as key industrial markets. The acquisition accelerates Delair’s global growth and broadens its end-to-end solution for the commercial UAV market.

“The acquisition signals a new period of growth and product line expansion by Delair,” said Michaël de Lagarde, Delair cofounder and CEO. “With the integration of Airware’s complementary technology, we have significantly strengthened our position as the leading provider of drone-based business intelligence globally. This strategic development further enhances our offer which enables the digital transformation of enterprises in the key industries we serve.”

Founded in 2011 in California, Airware has developed software for a cloud-based solution adopted by large companies in the construction, mining and insurance industries. Airware and Paris-based Redbird—acquired by Airware in 2016—developed its solution together with Caterpillar. Caterpillar dealers covering more than 50 countries have provided the Airware software to their customers to improve productivity and safety on mines, quarries and construction sites.

Delair said Airware’s technology complements its product line for commercial drone solutions, especially beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations. Delair has focused on end-to-end solutions since its inception in 2011, including fixed-wing drones, cloud-based data processing and analysis, local customer support and custom consulting services.

In September 2018, Delair closed a round of B-Series financing with Intel Capital to accelerate the development of its software offering. The company said the Airware acquisition supports this strategy. Delair, which now has more than 180 employees worldwide, supports customers in a wide range of industries such as mining, construction, energy, utilities, oil and gas, transportation, security and agriculture.