What Airvolute does

Airvolute s.r.o. is a Slovak deep-tech company founded in 2020 that designs and sells the DroneCore autopilot ecosystem for unmanned aerial systems. Its core offering is a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA)-compliant platform combining STM32H7-based flight management units, redundant FMUs, NVIDIA Jetson edge AI computing (Orin NX 16GB), power distribution, and rich peripheral connectivity, unified by DroneCore.OS, a Linux-based software stack supporting PX4 and ArduPilot flight firmware. The current-generation product family includes DroneCore DCS 2 (modular platform for advanced autonomous systems with 60V–100V power architectures and integrated FOC ESCs), DroneCore JERBOA (compact single-board autopilot), and DroneCore HEDGEHOG (STM32H7 + Hailo-15). Beyond core boards, Airvolute sells complete UAV platforms (Stribog UAS multi-role ISR quadcopter, Patron FPV tactical FPV drone) and a growing catalog of payload adapters for Nextvision cameras, Gremsy gimbals, and Teledyne FLIR Hadron thermal/visible modules.

Airvolute generates revenue primarily through direct e-commerce hardware sales of autopilots, UAV platforms, and accessories (development kits, pilot boards, extension boards, payload adapters) via its own storefront at airvolute.com, with global shipping tiered by product category and EU versus non-EU destination. A secondary revenue stream is paid diagnostic evaluation (EUR 200 per unit) and repair services for products purchased directly from Airvolute. The company serves two primary segments: defense contractors and UAV manufacturers integrating DroneCore into their own branded platforms (named customers include Quantum Systems, Easy Aerial, ISS Aerospace, Reakto, and Nightingale Security), and defense ministries procuring UAV platforms built on Airvolute technology, including through the Intelic BASE European procurement consortium that aggregates drone manufacturers from nine countries and has finalized an agreement with the Royal Netherlands Army.

The company's go-to-market combines direct e-commerce, technical developer relations (GitHub/GitLab open-source repositories, docs.airvolute.com, Discord community), and high-visibility defense exhibitions such as Eurosatory 2026 (Slovak Ministry of Defence Pavilion). Strategic technology partners include Honeywell Aerospace (ResNav sensor integration for GNSS-denied navigation, demonstrated at JamFest), NVIDIA (Jetson edge AI platform), and the broader PX4/ArduPilot open-source ecosystem. Airvolute is ISO-9001 certified, holds an NDAA Declaration, and has received funding from Vision Ventures (2020, 2023), the EU NextGenerationEU programme, and Baryon Investment Fund (2026).

Name

Airvolute

Legal name

Airvolute s.r.o.

Website

https://airvolute.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Airvolute s.r.o. is a Slovak deep-tech company (founded 2020) that designs MOSA-compliant DroneCore autopilots and edge-AI UAV platforms for defense contractors, drone manufacturers, and European defense ministries, integrating NVIDIA Jetson computing, Honeywell ResNav GNSS-denied navigation, and PX4/ArduPilot compatibility across its product family.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

UAV Autopilot Systems

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Aircraft Manufacturing (336411), Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728), Aircraft (3721)

akta.pro primary industry

Autonomous Flight Control & Guidance Systems (UAS/Urban Air Mobility) (IMABAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

UAS Ground Control Stations (GCS) & Remote Operations Infrastructure (IMABAIAL), VTOL & Hybrid UAV Platforms (IMABAIAC), Military Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) & Autonomous Aerial Platforms (IMABAMAC), Military Avionics, Mission Computers & Flight Controls (IMABAMAE)

Keywords

• UAV autopilot systems
• Autonomous flight control
• Edge AI computing
• Unmanned aerial systems
• GNSS-denied navigation

Headquarters

HQ city

Trnava

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hardware Autopilot and UAV Platform Sales: Airvolute generates revenue primarily through the sale of DroneCore autopilot systems (DroneCore JERBOA, DCS 2, HEDGEHOG), UAV platforms (Stribog UAS, Patron FPV), and accessories (development kits, pilot boards, extension boards, payload adapters). Products are sold via direct e-commerce on airvolute.com with global shipping. Repair and diagnostic services are offered for a fee.
2. Professional Services (Repair & Diagnostics): Airvolute offers paid diagnostic evaluation (EUR 200 per unit, approximately 2 weeks turnaround) and repair services for malfunctioning products. Services are available only for products purchased directly from Airvolute.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Airvolute designs, manufactures, and sells the DroneCore family of modular UAV autopilot systems and complete unmanned aircraft platforms (Stribog UAS, Patron FPV) for defense contractors, drone manufacturers, and military end-users. The offering combines flight control hardware (STM32H7-based FMUs), onboard edge AI computing (NVIDIA Jetson modules, HAILO-15), and unified DroneCore.OS Linux software into MOSA-compliant platforms supporting PX4/ArduPilot, MAVLink, and STANAG 4609 interoperability. Revenue is generated primarily through direct hardware sales via the company's e-commerce storefront and B2B sales to defense and commercial UAV developers, supplemented by paid repair and diagnostic services.

Product overview

Airvolute is a technology company providing enabling technology for UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) brands with a modular platform architecture called the DroneCore ecosystem. The core offering is the DroneCore autopilot system, which integrates flight control hardware and onboard computing (NVIDIA Jetson) into unified platforms following MOSA (Modular Open Systems Approach). The product portfolio spans multiple autopilot generations: DroneCore 1 (first generation), DroneCore 2 (current modular generation with Pilot Boards and Expansion Boards), DroneCore HEDGEHOG, and DroneCore JERBOA (compact variant). All hardware is unified under DroneCore.OS, a Linux-based software stack that enables consistent software development across hardware variants. Complete UAS platforms include Stribog UAS (multi-role ISR quadcopter) and Patron FPV (lightweight tactical FPV platform). The ecosystem includes payload adapters for Nextvision cameras, Gremsy gimbals, and Teledyne FLIR Hadron cameras, plus development kits, accessories, and extensive documentation with open-source GitHub/GitLab repositories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DroneCore: Modular autopilot platform for UAV development, integration, and deployment combining flight control hardware, onboard computing, and software stack.
• DroneCore.OS
• Stribog UAS
• Patron FPV

Products and services

• DroneCore JERBOA Compact, cost-efficient single-board flight controller combining STM32H7-based FMU with NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX 16GB onboard computing. Designed for micro/mini UAVs and tactical FPV airframes requiring small form factor and high integration. For UAV manufacturers and developers building low-cost, high-volume platforms.
• DroneCore HEDGEHOG Single-board flight controller combining STM32H7-based FMU with HAILO-15 AI processor for advanced onboard AI autonomy. Designed for UAV applications requiring AI-driven capabilities with full hardware interface support for ecosystem modules.
• DroneCore 2 (DCS 2) Current-generation modular UAV autopilot platform for advanced autonomous systems and scalable deployments. Combines autopilot functionality with onboard computing and supports modular expansion through Pilot Boards, Expansion Boards, and Power Boards. Available in Default Kit, Pro VTOL Kit (60V–100V ruggedized power), and Copter Kit (with integrated FOC ESCs) variants.
• DroneCore.OS Linux-based operating system unifying the DroneCore hardware ecosystem. Provides layered software architecture supporting hardware management, system services, and mission applications, enabling consistent software development and portability across JERBOA, DCS 1, and DCS 2 hardware platforms.
• Stribog UAS Modular multi-role quadcopter unmanned aircraft platform designed for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) applications. Integrates DroneCore autopilot with flexible payload integration and supports various sensors and mission configurations. For defense, security, and commercial operators requiring open-architecture multi-mission capability.
• Patron FPV Lightweight FPV-focused aircraft platform optimized for agility and rapid deployment. Uses DroneCore FPV autopilot with AI integration designed to improve mission success rates in strike operations (vs. conventional FPV drones where only 1 in 5 strike missions meet objective). For tactical FPV operators requiring AI-guided autonomy.
• DroneCore Development Kits Development and evaluation kits for the DroneCore autopilot system, enabling rapid prototyping and development of UAV platforms. Sold via the airvolute.com e-commerce storefront with tiered EU and Non-EU shipping fees.
• DroneCore Accessories Supporting accessories including cables, adapters, and mounting hardware for DroneCore autopilot systems, sold through the company's e-commerce storefront.
• Repair and Diagnostic Services Paid diagnostic evaluation (EUR 200 per unit, approximately 2 weeks turnaround) and repair services for malfunctioning Airvolute products. Available only for products purchased directly from Airvolute.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced manufacturing time and increased reliability through tightly-integrated DroneCore architecture (per Nightingale Security)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

AI capability6 records

Feature12 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and major.

• Intelic (European UAV Consortium)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2026Airvolute is named as a partner in Intelic BASE, a European military drone marketplace and procurement hub aggregating drone manufacturers from nine countries to serve European Ministries of Defence. The consortium includes Airvolute alongside manufacturers from France, Germany, UK, Ukraine, Netherlands, Portugal, Latvia, Luxembourg, Lithuania, and Czechia, collectively producing over 100,000 UAVs per month and generating EUR 1.2 billion in annual sales.
• Royal Netherlands Army (Intelic BASE)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2026Intelic is finalizing an agreement with the Royal Netherlands Army as part of the Intelic BASE procurement hub. The platform uses Intelic's Nexus command-and-control software to ensure interoperability between different manufacturers' drones including those powered by Airvolute technology.
• Honeywell AerospacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Airvolute partnered with Honeywell Aerospace to integrate Honeywell's ResNav sensor suite with Airvolute's DroneCore autopilots for GNSS-denied navigation resilience. The integration was showcased at JamFest for electronic warfare scenarios, combining Honeywell's military-grade inertial navigation with Airvolute's DCS 2 architecture and VIO algorithms for dynamic navigation switching in milliseconds.
• NVIDIAcoreTechnology or IntegrationAirvolute's DroneCore autopilots are built around NVIDIA Jetson modules (Jetson Orin NX 16GB, Jetson Xavier NX), leveraging NVIDIA's edge AI computing platform for onboard processing, object detection, tracking, and GPS-denied navigation. Airvolute maintains kernel sources and system distributions for Jetson platforms.
• PX4 / ArduPilot (Open-Source Flight Software Ecosystem)coreTechnology or IntegrationDroneCore autopilots are fully compatible with PX4 and ArduPilot open-source flight firmware, enabling broad software ecosystem support and interoperability for drone developers.
• Teledyne FLIRmajorTechnology or IntegrationAirvolute offers an NDAA-compliant DCS2 Adapter for the Teledyne FLIR Hadron 640R camera, integrating dual thermal and visible imaging into DroneCore-powered UAV platforms.
• GremsymajorTechnology or IntegrationAirvolute provides a DCS2 Adapter for Gremsy G-Hadron gimbal, enabling integration of compact thermal/visible gimbal payloads with DroneCore autopilot platforms.
• NextvisionmajorTechnology or IntegrationAirvolute supports Nextvision cameras (DragonEye2-3X, DragonEye2-Gen2, DragonEye2, Nighthawk2 series, Raptor, Raptor-360, Starling) through DCS2 Adapter and dedicated software drivers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Holybro: Holybro is one of the largest manufacturers of Pixhawk-compatible autopilots and full UAV kits. It is a direct competitor to Airvolute in the PX4/ArduPilot-compatible flight controller market, selling to similar drone-developer and OEM customers.
• CUAV: CUAV produces Pixhawk-family flight controllers (e.g., X7, V5+, Nano) widely used by PX4/ArduPilot developers. It competes head-on with Airvolute's DroneCore JERBOA and DCS 2 lines for the same autopilot OEM customers.
• ModalAI: ModalAI builds the VOXL family of autonomous flight and compute platforms integrating PX4 with onboard AI, directly overlapping Airvolute's DroneCore JERBOA and HEDGEHOG positioning. It targets defense and commercial drone OEMs with similar edge-AI autonomy value proposition.
• Auterion: Auterion provides open-source-based autopilot hardware and a fleet management software stack for commercial and defense drones. It is a direct competitor in the integrated autopilot-plus-software platform category Airvolute targets with DroneCore and DroneCore.OS.
• mRobotics: mRobotics manufactures Pixhawk-derived flight controllers and integrated autopilot stacks for OEMs and R&D labs. It competes with Airvolute in the same PX4/ArduPilot-compatible autopilot market, particularly for enterprise UAV integrators.

Broad incumbents

• Skydio: Skydio is a leading US autonomous drone manufacturer with proprietary flight controllers and onboard AI. While not selling autopilots to OEMs, it competes in the broader autonomous-UAS market where Airvolute's customers deploy DroneCore-powered platforms.
• DJI: DJI dominates consumer and prosumer drones with proprietary A3/N3-class autopilots. It shapes customer expectations on autopilot capability and pricing and is increasingly relevant in defense-adjacent markets where Airvolute's Patriot/Stribog-class platforms compete.
• TEKEVER: TEKEVER is a European defense UAS company providing ISR and surveillance drones, often to ministries of defence. It is comparable to Airvolute as part of the same Intelic BASE consortium and competes in adjacent European defense UAV procurement programs.

Others

• Quantum Systems: Quantum Systems is both a key Airvolute customer and a major European defense UAV OEM (Trinity, Vector). It is comparable as a UAV platform integrator operating in the same European defense procurement programs where Airvolute's autopilots are deployed.
• ArduPilot (open-source project): ArduPilot is the open-source autopilot firmware ecosystem that DroneCore natively supports. While not a corporate competitor, it directly shapes the ecosystem Airvolute sells into and is a substitute path many OEMs consider before adopting a commercial autopilot.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/airvolute

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Airvolute