HyLight raises €13m to scale its infrastructure inspection airships
With four aircraft operating and a new production site in service, HyLight targets a fleet of up to 15 simultaneous deployments in 2027.
Moving beyond the first operating fleet
HyLight’s 12 October financing announcement follows more than 750 flight hours, according to the company. It reports that its aircraft have already taken on some inspection missions previously flown by helicopters for large infrastructure operators.
A deployment described by VINCI’s Leonard programme shows how that service works on a railway: HyLight and LISEA inspected 50 kilometres of the Sud Europe Atlantique high-speed line in three hours, collecting photographs and LiDAR data on the same flight. That gives the company an operating example to build on as it increases capacity.
Rubio Impact Ventures confirmed it led the investment. The company’s announcement also names DRW, Teampact Ventures and returning investors Y Combinator and Ring Capital.
Use of funds
Expand aircraft production and fleet capacity
Improve automated analysis of inspection data
Recruit 50 employees across engineering, data, operations, regulatory affairs and business development
Expand commercial operations in Europe, prioritizing Germany and the Netherlands