Fusion Engineering

What Fusion Engineering does

Fusion Engineering is a private Dutch deep-technology company founded in 2017 as a spin-off from TU Delft, developing next-generation flight controllers for the commercial multirotor drone market. The company's flagship product, the Fusion Reflex, is a hardware flight controller paired with proprietary software built from the ground up in the Rust programming language on a Linux system with a co-processor for real-time tasks. Its core technical differentiator is the use of Incremental Non-Linear Dynamic Inversion (INDI) control combined with Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF)-based state estimation and Active Fault Tolerant Control (AFTC), with wind tunnel tests demonstrating roughly 7x better wind disturbance rejection than conventional PID controllers and the ability to land safely after complete loss of a rotor. All software runs in an isolated modular architecture designed for safety certification up to EU SAIL level 6.

The company sells primarily to commercial drone manufacturers through a quote-based direct sales model and an Early Access development partner program, with current named partners including Dronetools (Spain), Dronistics (Switzerland), eAvia (Norway), and the AIRTuB offshore wind turbine inspection project with World Class Maintenance and NLR. The product portfolio also includes a proprietary Ground Control Station (GCS) built with React and Rust supporting MAVlink, geofencing, and mission planning.

Fusion Engineering generates revenue through hardware sales of the Fusion Reflex flight controller, with optional software licensing mentioned as a future stream. The company raised €700k in January 2022 from the Dutch Graduate Entrepreneur Fund and angel investors, followed by a $500k grant from the Genius NY accelerator in August 2022, and is actively hiring enterprise sales leadership and expanding into the North American market from a base in Syracuse, NY. Headcount stands at approximately 11 core members plus interns, with offices in Delft (headquarters at TU Delft's Aerospace Innovation Hub and Unmanned Valley Field Lab) and Syracuse, NY.

Name

Fusion Engineering

Legal name

Fusion Engineering

Website

https://fusion.engineering

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fusion Engineering, a TU Delft spin-off founded in 2017, develops the Fusion Reflex — a Rust-based flight controller using INDI control and fault-tolerant algorithms for commercial drone manufacturers targeting certified operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Drone Flight Controllers

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)

akta.pro primary industry

Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) & Multirotor Drones (IMABAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autonomy Software, AI & Mission Management (UAS/UXV) (IMABAIAH), Military Avionics, Mission Computers & Flight Controls (IMABAMAE), UAS Ground Control Stations (GCS) & Remote Operations Infrastructure (IMABAIAL), Aerial Robotics (Drones & UAV Autonomy) (HDAAAIAG)

Keywords

• Drone flight controllers
• Commercial drone technology
• INDI flight control
• Fault tolerant control
• Autonomous drone systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Delft

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Flight Controller Hardware Sales: Sale of the Fusion Reflex flight controller hardware to drone manufacturers. The product is designed for any type of multirotor drone and is adaptable for different configurations. Available through Early Access program and direct ordering.
2. Software Licensing Potential: The underlying flight control algorithms may be licensed to parties wanting to run the software on their own hardware, as mentioned in Dutch article discussing product/market combinations.
3. Development Partner Program: Early Access phase where participant companies receive flight controllers for testing, with integration support and priority access to new features. Partners provide feedback on improvements and fixes.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fusion Engineering designs, develops, and sells the Fusion Reflex flight controller for commercial multirotor drones, built on proprietary INDI control algorithms with UKF state estimation, fault-tolerant control, and software written entirely in Rust. The company sells to drone manufacturers targeting certified commercial applications (offshore wind inspection, last-mile delivery, search and rescue, security) and pairs the controller with a proprietary Ground Control Station software for mission planning and fleet management.

Product overview

Fusion Engineering offers a focused product portfolio centered on the Fusion Reflex flight controller, their core commercial drone flight control solution. The flagship product is the Fusion Reflex, with its introductory model (IM) variant designed for early testing and development partner feedback. The company also develops a proprietary Ground Control Station (GCS) software that pairs with the Fusion Reflex for complete integration between air and ground operations. All products are built from the ground up using Rust programming language, emphasizing reliability, flexibility, and safety for commercial drone applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fusion Reflex Flight Controller A state-of-the-art flight controller for multirotor drones built on proprietary INDI control algorithms with UKF state estimation, fault-tolerant control, and software written entirely in the Rust programming language. Designed for commercial drone manufacturers building certified multirotor applications such as offshore wind inspection, last-mile delivery, search and rescue, security and infrastructure inspection. Adaptable to any multirotor configuration.
• Ground Control Station (GCS) Proprietary ground control station software designed for full compatibility with the Fusion Reflex flight controller, supporting MAVlink communication, geofencing, mission planning and fleet management capabilities for commercial drone operations. UI built in React, low-level components in Rust.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7 times less distance off-course than PID controller in hover test with wind wall at 12 m/s wind speed
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Genius NY Accelerator / The Tech GardencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2022Accepted into the Genius NY accelerator program (Cohort 6) at The Tech Garden in Syracuse, NY. Awarded $500k and two commercial team members relocated to Syracuse for one year to pave the way for North American expansion.
• DekimominorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2022Hardware partnership for new product development announced in April 2022. Details not yet disclosed.
• BVM EngineeringminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2022Hardware partnership for new product development announced in April 2022. Details not yet disclosed.
• Sustainable Aero LabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Participated in and graduated from the Sustainable Aero Lab mentoring program. Included as one of 40 promising startups for the future of sustainable aviation in their study on next-generation sustainable aviation startups.
• DronetoolscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021International testing partner based in Spain. Partnered with Fusion Engineering to test the Fusion Reflex flight controller as part of proof-of-concept validation. One of three independent international partners testing the flight controller.
• DronisticscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021Swiss drone manufacturer and international testing partner. Implemented INDI on the Fusion Reflex for their drone. Conducted wind tunnel tests in Lausanne validating improved wind disturbance performance compared to PID controllers.
• eAviacoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021Norwegian drone developer and international testing partner. Testing the Fusion Reflex flight controller internationally as part of proof-of-concept validation with other partners.
• Unmanned ValleyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Opened second office at the Unmanned Valley Field Lab in July 2021. Unmanned Valley is a testing facility and location for continuous drone experimentation in the Netherlands. Used for flight testing of the Fusion Reflex.
• World Class Maintenance / NLR (AIRTuB Project)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Collaboration on the AIRTuB (Automated Inspection and Repair of Turbine Blades) project developing technology to automate maintenance and inspection of offshore wind turbine blades using drones. Fusion Engineering develops the Fusion Reflex flight controller capable of reliable operation in offshore conditions. The project includes NLR (Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre) for testing and World Class Maintenance as the lead organization.
• ESA Business Incubation Centre NoordwijkcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2018Enrolled in ESA BIC Noordwijk startup incubation program after winning the Galileo Masters Award in 2017. Graduated from the program in summer 2020 after two years of incubation support for aerospace technology development.
• YES!DelftcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2018Joined YES!Delft Accelerator program in 2018 to strengthen the foundation of the startup and accelerate traction in the market. Currently still participating in the YES!Delft incubation program.
• TU DelftcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Origin of the company as a TU Delft spin-off. Most team members are TU Delft alumni. INDI technology developed at TU Delft. Company has office space at Aerospace Innovation Hub on TU Delft Campus.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Skydio: Skydio is a leading autonomous commercial drone manufacturer whose vertically integrated flight stack competes for the same end-use applications (inspection, public safety, defense) that Fusion's OEM customers ultimately serve.
• NXP Semiconductors: NXP supplies the i.MX RT and other processor families that are the silicon backbone of most commercial flight controllers; it is an upstream incumbent whose roadmap and reference designs strongly shape Fusion's hardware platform.
• DJI: DJI dominates the commercial drone market with vertically integrated aircraft, flight controllers, and software; while it does not sell its flight stack externally, it sets the price/performance baseline Fusion must beat to win OEM design wins.

Direct peers

• ModalAI: ModalAI sells VOXL flight controller hardware and autonomy stacks for commercial and defense drones, targeting the same drone OEM customer base with comparable positioning around autonomy, swarming, and GPS-denied flight.
• MicroPilot: MicroPilot produces autopilot hardware and software for professional UAVs including certifiable autopilots, serving the same commercial and defense drone manufacturer segment as Fusion Engineering.
• UAV Navigation: UAV Navigation builds professional-grade autopilots and flight control systems for commercial and defense UAVs, directly comparable in targeting certified, high-reliability commercial drone applications.
• Holybro: Holybro manufactures Pixhawk-series flight controller hardware paired with PX4/ArduPilot firmware, targeting the same commercial drone OEM and integrator audience with ready-to-integrate autopilot hardware.
• Auterion: Auterion offers a commercial, open-core flight stack (based on PX4) for enterprise and commercial drone manufacturers, directly competing with Fusion Engineering in the same customer segment with a similar product-led, enterprise sales motion.

Emerging players

• ArduPilot: ArduPilot is another widely adopted open-source autopilot firmware used across commercial, research, and hobbyist drones, serving as an entrenched free alternative that Fusion must displace or differentiate against.
• PX4 (open-source): PX4 is the leading open-source flight control software that underpins much of the commercial drone ecosystem; it represents the primary free alternative to Fusion's commercial Reflex stack and competes for the same drone OEM mindshare.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/fusion-engineering
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fusioneng
• Xx.com/fusion_engr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 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 Fusion Engineering