Sonair
Sonair AS is a Norwegian deep-tech company that builds ADAR, a 3D ultrasonic safety sensor using MEMS-based PMUT technology, sold to AMR, warehouse, cleaning, and industrial automation OEMs as a lower-cost, privacy-preserving alternative to LiDAR.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersOslo, Norway
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Sonair does
Sonair AS is a Norwegian deep-technology company founded in September 2022 and headquartered in Oslo that has developed ADAR (Acoustic Detection and Ranging), a 3D ultrasonic safety sensor for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). The company's core product combines MEMS-based piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) arrays — licensed exclusively from Norwegian research institute SINTEF — with safety-certified Rust firmware to deliver true 180° x 180° three-dimensional spatial awareness at up to 5 meters range for human and obstacle detection in industrial, warehouse, cleaning, and service-robot applications. Sonair's technology is positioned as a 50-80% lower-cost alternative to LiDAR that also operates reliably in harsh industrial environments (dust, smoke, variable lighting) and preserves privacy by capturing no visual data. The company is pursuing IEC 61508 SIL 2 / ISO 13849 PL d / IEC 61496-1 Type 3 ESPE safety certification with third-party assessor exida, and has reached the Ferrocene certified-Rust compilation milestone.
The company's business model is anchored in direct enterprise hardware sales of ADAR sensors and evaluation kits to AMR manufacturers and industrial automation OEMs, supplemented by professional integration services and a future potential licensing layer over SINTEF's PMUT technology. Pricing is quote-based, structured as multi-year contracts, and is supported by an early-access evaluation program that converts prospects from testing to production orders. Sonair pursues a multi-channel go-to-market combining field sales, inside sales, and event-driven lead generation at MODEX, LogiMAT, Automate, and Sensors Converge, and leverages the NVIDIA Inception Program for ecosystem access. Confirmed customers and design partners include Cleanfix (cleaning robots, first commercial deployment March 2026), Fuji Corporation (Japanese AMR manufacturer), Solwr (warehouse robotics), and wheel.me (autonomous wheels). The company operates from offices in Oslo (Norway), Odense (Denmark), and Kirchzarten (Germany), and has raised approximately $12.8M across multiple venture rounds from investors including Skyfall Ventures, Scale Capital, Investinor, RunwayFBU, SINTEF Venture, ProVenture, Startuplab Founders Fund, and Stratel.
Sonair firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sonair
- Legal name
- Sonair AS
- Website
- https://sonair.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sonair AS is a Norwegian deep-tech company that builds ADAR, a 3D ultrasonic safety sensor using MEMS-based PMUT technology, sold to AMR, warehouse, cleaning, and industrial automation OEMs as a lower-cost, privacy-preserving alternative to LiDAR.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sonair industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Robotic Sensors
- NAICS
- Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)
- SIC
- Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Active Safety Sensing Hardware Manufacturing (Radar/LiDAR/Cameras/Ultrasonic) (IMACAMAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Microphones & Acoustic MEMS (MEMS Mics/Ultrasonic Transducers) (HDAHALAH)
Keywords
Where Sonair is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oslo
- HQ country
- Norway
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Sonair business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- 3D Ultrasonic Sensor Hardware Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling ADAR 3D ultrasonic sensor hardware to AMR manufacturers, cleaning robot companies, and industrial automation providers. Hardware products are sold directly to OEM customers who integrate them into their autonomous robots.
- Evaluation Kits: Early access program providing evaluation kits to prospective customers for testing and integration purposes. Kits enable customers to assess ADAR technology suitability before committing to full production orders.
- Licensing (Potential): Potential future licensing revenue from SINTEF's PMUT technology rights. The company holds exclusive global rights to SINTEF's PMUT technology in air, which could enable licensing arrangements with larger robotics manufacturers.
- Professional Services: Technical integration support and professional services for enterprise customers implementing ADAR technology into their robotic platforms.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Enterprise Direct Sales - Quote-based pricing |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Early Access Evaluation Kit Program |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Sonair product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sonair develops and manufactures ADAR (Acoustic Detection and Ranging), a 3D ultrasonic sensor for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and industrial automation. The sensor uses MEMS-based PMUT (piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer) technology to provide 180° x 180° 3D spatial awareness at up to 5 meters range for obstacle detection, collision avoidance, and safe human-robot collaboration. Customers are AMR manufacturers, cleaning robot companies, and industrial automation providers who integrate ADAR into their autonomous platforms.
Product overview
Sonair offers ADAR (Acoustic Detection and Ranging), the world's first safe 3D ultrasonic sensor for autonomous robots. The product portfolio centers on the ADAR hardware sensor, complemented by ADAR Designer configuration software, the ADAR Python API SDK, and comprehensive documentation including technical datasheets, user manuals, and a technical whitepaper. The ADAR sensor uses MEMS-based ultrasonic transducer arrays operating at 80 kHz to provide 180° x 180° 3D spatial awareness up to 5 meters range, enabling safe human-robot interaction in warehouses, factories, and service robot environments. Supporting tools include firmware, 3D CAD models, quick start guides, and compliance documentation (EU/UK Declarations of Conformity).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ADAR: Acoustic Detection and Ranging - Sonair's patented 3D ultrasonic sensor technology that uses sound-based detection to provide robots with true 3D spatial awareness for safety applications
Products and services
- ADAR (Acoustic Detection and Ranging) 3D Ultrasonic Sensor The world's first safe 3D ultrasonic sensor for autonomous robots, providing full 180° x 180° 3D spatial awareness at up to 5m range. Designed for human and obstacle detection in AMR, industrial automation, and service robotics applications. Uses MEMS-based PMUT technology operating at 80 kHz for safe human-robot collaboration.
- ADAR Designer Visual configuration software for configuring ADAR sensors, safety zones, network settings, and device status. Enables building and managing sensor configs across multiple units and real-time error handling for robotics integrators.
- ADAR Python API Python package for communicating with the ADAR 3D ultrasonic sensor via Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP). Provides an easy-to-use interface for receiving 3D point cloud data from ADAR sensors and serves as reference implementation for porting to other languages (C, C++, etc.).
- ADAR Firmware Safety-certified firmware for ADAR sensors with real-time processing, signal processing optimizations, OSSD compliance, and checksum integrity protection. Latest version v1.8.8 includes OSSD compliance, checksum on all network communication, real-time validator subsystem, secure device access, and safe configuration management.
- ADAR Commercial Deployment with Cleanfix RA660 Navi XL First commercial deployment of ADAR technology in production autonomous cleaning robots by Cleanfix, replacing 14 linear sensors with a single 3D ultrasonic solution in their RA660 Navi XL cleaning robots operating in shared spaces with humans.
Quantifiable outcome
- 50-80% cost reduction in robot sensing systems compared to LiDAR
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Sonair
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sonair technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature4 records
Sonair partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and supporting.
- CleanfixflagshipStrategic customer partnership where Cleanfix integrates ADAR ultrasonic sensors into their autonomous cleaning robots. Cleanfix is actively deploying Sonair's technology in production robots.
- SolwrcoreWarehouse robotics company testing ADAR sensors in their autonomous mobile robots for logistics and fulfillment applications.
- wheel.mecoreAutonomous mobility company testing ADAR sensors for their smart wheel technology that enables autonomous movement of furniture and equipment.
- Fuji CorporationcoreJapanese AMR manufacturer evaluating ADAR technology for integration into their autonomous mobile robot product lines.
- NVIDIA Inception ProgramsupportingMember of NVIDIA's startup acceleration program providing access to NVIDIA's ecosystem, technical resources, and credibility in the robotics and AI space.
- exidacoreSafety certification partner for achieving SIL2 certification and ISO 13849 compliance for ADAR technology. exida provides functional safety assessment and certification services.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Sonair competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Toposens: Munich-based developer of 3D ultrasonic sensors for collision avoidance in robotics and autonomous systems. Directly comparable as both companies pursue 3D ultrasonic sensing for AMR safety, though Toposens uses a different transducer architecture and is earlier-stage.
Broad incumbents
- SICK AG: Global leader in industrial safety sensors, including 2D safety laser scanners widely used on AMRs. Sonair competes against SICK's incumbent 2D safety scanner portfolio; SICK also serves the same industrial automation OEMs but does not currently offer a 3D ultrasonic alternative.
- Pepperl+Fuchs: Major industrial sensor and safety equipment manufacturer with deep AMR customer relationships. Offers 2D LiDAR and ultrasonic safety scanners; competes for the same sensor slots on AMRs that Sonair targets, but from a broader portfolio.
- Hokuyo Automatic: Japanese manufacturer of 2D/3D LiDAR and safety laser scanners widely deployed on AMRs globally. Regional incumbent in Asia with established AMR OEM relationships that Sonair must win against to expand into Japanese and broader Asian markets.
- Ouster: Public LiDAR sensor company serving robotics, industrial, and automotive markets. Competes with Sonair on the 3D perception layer for AMRs via 360° LiDAR, with significantly greater scale and a longer commercial track record.
- Hesai Technology: Leading global LiDAR manufacturer with rapidly declining unit costs targeting both automotive and robotics markets. Represents a primary cost-disruption threat to Sonair's price-value proposition as LiDAR prices fall toward ultrasonic cost levels.
- Innoviz Technologies: Solid-state LiDAR company with automotive-grade certification focus and emerging robotics applications. Competes with Sonair on the perception layer for autonomous machines, with deeper safety certification pedigree in automotive settings.
- Banner Engineering: US-based industrial sensor manufacturer with safety scanner, LiDAR, and vision products for factory automation and AMR customers. Competes for the same safety sensing slots on AMRs, with stronger North American presence than Sonair currently has.
Others
- Microchip Technology (Microsemi Timing): Semiconductor and MEMS component supplier serving industrial and robotics customers. Related as a potential PMUT/MEMS component supplier or technology licensor adjacent to Sonair's underlying sensor technology stack.
Emerging players
- Cepton: Long-range LiDAR company pursuing both automotive and industrial robotics applications. Comparable as an emerging perception-layer competitor with a similar growth-stage profile and a different sensing modality (LiDAR vs. ultrasonic).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sonair social profiles
Digital presenceSonair compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Sonair financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sonair leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Sonair funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors9 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sonair M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sonair
What does Sonair do?
Sonair develops and manufactures ADAR (Acoustic Detection and Ranging), a 3D ultrasonic sensor for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and industrial automation. The sensor uses MEMS-based PMUT (piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer) technology to provide 180° x 180° 3D spatial awareness at up to 5 meters range for obstacle detection, collision avoidance, and safe human-robot collaboration. Customers are AMR manufacturers, cleaning robot companies, and industrial automation providers who integrate ADAR into their autonomous platforms.
Is Sonair a public or private company?
Sonair is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Sonair founded?
Sonair was founded in 2022. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sonair based?
Sonair is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, in the Europe region.
How does Sonair make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. 3D Ultrasonic Sensor Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are evaluation Kits, licensing (Potential) and professional Services.
Who are Sonair's main competitors?
Toposens is listed as a direct peer. Broad incumbents are SICK AG, Pepperl+Fuchs, Hokuyo Automatic, Ouster, Hesai Technology, Innoviz Technologies and Banner Engineering. Microchip Technology (Microsemi Timing) is listed as an others. Cepton is listed as an emerging player.
Does Sonair have an API?
Yes. The ADAR Python API is a Python package for communicating with the ADAR 3D ultrasonic sensor via Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP). It provides an easy-to-use interface for receiving 3D point cloud data from ADAR sensors and serves as a reference implementation documenting CoAP resources and binary data formats to enable porting to other languages (C, C++, etc.). The sensor publishes point cloud and status messages through CoAP over UDP/IP. Developer documentation is at github.com/Sonair-AS/adar_api.
What industry is Sonair in?
Sonair's product category is Industrial Robotic Sensors. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACAMAF, Active Safety Sensing Hardware Manufacturing (Radar/LiDAR/Cameras/Ultrasonic), with a secondary code of HDAHALAH, Microphones & Acoustic MEMS (MEMS Mics/Ultrasonic Transducers). Its NAICS code is 33451 and its SIC code is 3823.