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- Founded: 2011
- Ceased Operations: 2018
What did Airware do?
Airware was a company that provided enterprise drone services combining hardware, on-aircraft and mobile software, and cloud services for industries like mining, insurance, and construction. 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. Where most software is designed for specific models of drones, Airware was developing a platform that enables compatibility across aircraft.
Airware was one of the most-funded drone startups in the world. Airware raised $100 million in Series B funding, led by Accel Partners and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. Airware also received investments from Google Ventures, Intel Capital, and Salesforce Ventures.
Who started Airware?
Founder Jonathan Downey
Why did Airware go out of business?
Airware was founded in 2011 with the goal of creating a platform for managing fleets of drones. However, Airware quickly expanded into other areas, such as asset tracking and indoor mapping. This lack of focus made it difficult for Airware to compete with more specialized companies. Airware’s software was designed to be used by drone operators, but it was difficult to use and often crashed. This led to frustration among customers, and it made it difficult for Airware to sell its products.
Airware was not the only company developing software for commercial drones. Other companies, such as DJI and 3D Robotics, had larger teams and more resources. This made it difficult for Airware to compete. Ultimately, Airware filed for bankruptcy in September 2018 and ceased operations shortly thereafter.