The indoor drone technology company, Indoor Robotics which is backed by the Horizon 2020 programme of the European Union just secured $15M in series A funding. The startup which hopes to better enable intelligent indoor monitoring & security had its financing led by Pitango and saw the participation of Target Global, European Innovation Council Fund, and Spider Capital.
Robotics solutions for indoor operations
Developing an autonomous indoor security robot has proven to be a hefty challenge robotics designers have had to deal with for years. While some commercially available ground-based robots do exist, ordinary items like chairs or steps can prevent their full functionality. In building Tando, Indoor Robotics engineers had to ensure the integration of software, hardware, and algorithms to ensure they could fly a drone indoors, in a confined space, without human control.
Indoor Robotics’ Tando utilises multiple sensors and proprietary algorithms in an effort to accurately map and navigate in any indoor space. As such, it can autonomously navigate above or around any items in its path which ensures it can securely monitor large areas with an unrivalled ability.
Tando docks on ceilings and functions similar to a security camera when not in flight. In addition to its use in office buildings, it’s also being used to secure and monitor warehouses, data centres, malls and retail establishments by well-known enterprises.
On top of its security functions, Tando offers significant inspection capabilities and is applicable in operational instances. The drone is capable of collecting thermal imaging data and environmental data. It can also record the temperatures of rooms and can identify leaks. Its inspection can enable preventive maintenance by identifying areas in buildings that require care.
“We reimagined what a drone was capable of and combined human-like capabilities with AI tools to enable next-generation security and monitoring,” explains Doron Ben David, the co-founder and CEO of the Tel Aviv-based startup. “Tando has already been deployed by the world’s leading enterprises and security monitoring companies and is making a tangible impact on safety and security.”
Indoor Robotics expects to move into full production mode and develop its go-to-market strategy. The startup will boost product development to enable intelligent indoor monitoring & security solutions to impact the globe.
Becoming Indoor Robotics
Doron Ben David and Amit Moran founded Indoor Robotics in 2018, following Ben David’s departure as CTO of Israel Aerospace Industries’ Space Division. It was at his previous job that he began his collaboration with Moran, the former Head of Robotics Innovation at Intel. They embarked on a journey seeking to outperform humans with drones and improve organisational efficiencies.
The team noted that drones were ideal for security, an industry plagued with 300% employee turnover, is vulnerable to fatigue & human error and pays a minimum wage, which isn’t motivating to guards tasked with protecting valuable assets. The Tando drone fits in line with the company’s mission to boost the quality of life & safety by enabling seamless & comfortable indoor experiences through task-oriented robots.
