What WeRobotics does

WeRobotics is a US 501(c)(3) and Swiss public charity, founded in 2015, that builds ecosystems for locally led technology solutions in the Global South rather than selling standalone software or hardware. Its core offering is the Flying Labs Network, a social franchise of 40+ locally owned and independently operated hubs across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific, supported by WeRobotics' methodologies and frameworks. Core products include the Flying Labs Network franchise, the Glocalization Model (a replicable localization methodology adopted by four external organizations), the Turning Data Into Action (TDIA) methodology, the Drone Regulations Engagement Framework for co-creating civil aviation rules, the Flying Labs Network Council for shared governance, and recurring Drones, GIS and AI for Disaster Risk Management (DRM) conferences plus regional retreats and sector expertise hubs. Built around drones, GIS (including an Esri ArcGIS integration), and applied AI, the platform uses partnerships with technology providers (Wingtra, Skydio, DroneDeploy, Fugro) and research collaborators (EPFL LUTS, Deloitte D2i) rather than proprietary technology stacks. Revenue is grant-driven: foundation grants (Rockefeller, Hewlett, Autodesk), institutional funding from development banks (IDB Lab, World Bank) and EPFL Tech4Dev Fund, social franchise license fees from Flying Labs, and individual/organizational donations. The organization is fully remote, distributed across 19+ countries, and serves government agencies, civil aviation authorities, humanitarian and disaster management actors, conservation groups, healthcare programs, and agricultural users through its franchise network.

Name

WeRobotics

Legal name

WeRobotics

Website

https://werobotics.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

WeRobotics is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs the Flying Labs Network, a social franchise of 40+ locally led drone, data, and AI hubs across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific, serving governments, humanitarian agencies, and communities with social impact technology programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Drone and Data Services

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

UAS Integration, Certification & Compliance Systems (Remote ID, Detect-and-Avoid) (IMABAIAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autonomy Software, AI & Mission Management (UAS/UXV) (IMABAIAH), Humanitarian, Relief & Government Cargo Airlift (THABAEAI), Emerging Aviation Maintenance (UAS/Drone, eVTOL & Advanced Air Mobility) (EDAOAFAO)

Keywords

• Humanitarian drone services
• Disaster response mapping
• Drone capacity building
• Conservation drone technology
• Medical drone delivery

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: Major funding from foundations including The Rockefeller Foundation (initial grant for proof-of-concept), Hewlett Foundation, and Autodesk Foundation for early operations and growth
2. Institutional Funding: Funding from development banks and international organizations including IDB's Bid-Lab, World Bank for policy projects, and EPFL Tech4Dev Fund
3. Social Franchise Licensing: Flying Labs operate under annual social franchise licenses, contributing to network sustainability
4. Donations and Support: Individual and organizational donations from funders, donors and partners who support the mission

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

WeRobotics is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social impact organization that operates the Flying Labs Network, a social franchise of locally led drone, data, and AI hubs spanning 40+ countries across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific. The organization delivers humanitarian and development services including disaster response mapping, medical cargo drone delivery, environmental monitoring, agricultural mapping, and youth STEM training, while also offering its proprietary Glocalization Model and Drone Regulations Engagement Framework for adoption by other organizations and civil aviation authorities.

Product overview

WeRobotics is a social impact organization (non-profit, 501C3 in USA and charitable association in Switzerland) that builds ecosystems for locally led technology solutions. The organization does not offer a software product or SaaS platform; rather, it operates through the Flying Labs Network - a social franchise model across 40+ countries - and provides methodologies, frameworks, and coordination services. Key offerings include the Flying Labs Network itself, the Glocalization Model for replication, the Turning Data Into Action (TDIA) methodology, the Drone Regulations Engagement Framework, governance structures like the Flying Labs Network Council, and event programs including the Drones, GIS and AI for DRM Conference and regional retreats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Flying Labs Network: A global network of locally led drone, data and AI hubs spanning 40+ countries in Africa, Latin America, Caribbean and Asia-Pacific
• Glocalization Model
• Flying Labs
• The Power of Local

Products and services

• Flying Labs Network A social franchise program spanning 40+ countries across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific, through which independent local organizations obtain annual Flying Labs licenses and apply WeRobotics' methodology to deliver drone, data, and AI solutions for social impact in their own communities.
• Glocalization Model WeRobotics' proprietary localization methodology that enables organizations to combine global resources with local expertise so that local actors lead technology adoption while receiving coordinated global support; offered as a standalone, replicable framework.
• Flying Labs Drone Regulations Engagement Framework A co-created framework, also referred to as the Airspace Harmony framework, that enables local drone ecosystems to engage with civil aviation authorities and develop community-driven, data-driven drone regulations adapted to local contexts in the Global South.
• Turning Data Into Action (TDIA) Methodology A methodology developed by WeRobotics that puts local communities and stakeholders at the center of data-driven decision making, used across Flying Labs projects in disaster response, conservation, agriculture, and healthcare logistics.

Quantifiable outcome

• 669 examples of locally led and decided technology solutions proven more effective, sustainable and widely adopted
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Flying Labs Network (40+ independent Flying Labs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Flying Labs Network is the core of WeRobotics' work - independent local organizations licensed to use the Flying Labs brand and methodology. Flying Labs span Africa, Latin America, Caribbean and Asia-Pacific, each addressing local priorities with drone, data and AI technology.
• QP Drone TechminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth Africa drone company that collaborated with South Africa Flying Labs, UNICEF South Africa and Santam to map flooding impacts in Alexandra Township informal settlements.
• UNICEF South AfricaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with South Africa Flying Labs and QP Drone Tech on flooding impact mapping project using drone technology.
• SantamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsurance company that collaborated on flooding impact mapping initiative in South Africa with South Africa Flying Labs.
• EsricoreTechnology or IntegrationGIS infrastructure and technical coordination partner. Provided ArcGIS system for Hurricane Melissa response including Experience Builder, Survey123, and overview dashboard. Also co-organizer of Caribbean Drones, AI and GIS for DRM Conference.
• Nepal Flying LabscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplementing partner in Sierra Leone National Drone Policy project, contributing experience in ecosystem assessment and survey design.
• FugrominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeployed representative to Jamaica for on-the-ground technical support during Hurricane Melissa response.
• HOT OSM (Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in Hurricane Melissa drone mapping response as part of collaborative disaster response effort.
• Atlas Logistique/HIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLogistics organization that participated in Hurricane Melissa response through UNDAC mechanism.
• Namibia Flying LabscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-designed the Flying Labs Drone Regulations Engagement Framework with WeRobotics and Deloitte D2i, pioneering the approach for drone regulations in the Global South.
• Deloitte D2i (Deloitte Consulting)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnered with WeRobotics and Namibia Flying Labs to develop and publish the Airspace Harmony framework for drone regulations engagement in the Global South.
• Kenya Flying LabscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Flying Labs to replicate the Drone Regulations Engagement Framework in Kenya, co-organizing co-creation workshops with KUASA and Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.
• Kenya Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Association (KUASA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeamed up with WeRobotics and Kenya Flying Labs to host co-creation workshops for drone regulations development.
• Togo Flying LabscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Flying Labs in West Africa to implement the Drone Regulations Engagement Framework, with support from ANAC (Togo Civil Aviation Authority).
• NAXAcoreTechnology or IntegrationNepal Flying Labs' host company that transitioned into a technology partner within WeRobotics' partner ecosystem.
• AerialMetriccoreTechnology or IntegrationMadagascar Flying Labs' host company that transitioned into a technology partner, joining WeRobotics' partner ecosystem.
• EPFL Laboratory of Urban Transport Systems (LUTS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in DAKFLOW project using drone imagery and AI for urban mobility in Dakar. Previously collaborated on Nairobi drone traffic monitoring experiment with Kenya Flying Labs.
• Kenya Urban Rural Roads Authority (KURA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner in Nairobi drone traffic monitoring experiment, providing local authorization and support for drone operations.
• Kenya Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment body that facilitated drone flight permits and provided support for Nairobi traffic monitoring pilot project.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Zipline: Designs, manufactures and operates drones for medical supply delivery in emerging markets, including partnerships with national health systems. Comparable to WeRobotics in applying drone technology for social good and health access in the Global South, though operating a vertically integrated commercial model rather than a network/fractal model.
• Matternet: Operates drone delivery networks for hospitals and healthcare systems. Comparable to WeRobotics in applying UAS to medical logistics and integrating with government/healthcare stakeholders, though focused on commercial hospital-to-hospital transport in regulated markets.
• Swoop Aero: Provides drone-based medical cargo delivery across Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Pacific. Comparable to WeRobotics for combining medical drone delivery with humanitarian-impact missions in geographies that overlap with Flying Labs, and serving similar government and NGO customers.
• Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT): Global nonprofit coordinating volunteer-driven open mapping for humanitarian and development response. Comparable to WeRobotics through direct partnership on Hurricane Melissa, similar community-led operating model, and overlapping use cases in disaster mapping and development data.

Broad incumbents

• Wing (Alphabet): Alphabet's drone delivery subsidiary operating commercial delivery services in multiple countries. Comparable to WeRobotics in scaling drone delivery for community benefit, but as a corporate-backed incumbent with deeper capital, broader geographic ambition, and a commercial rather than nonprofit model.
• Skydio: U.S. drone manufacturer supplying autonomous UAS platforms to public safety, defense, and enterprise customers. Comparable to WeRobotics through its technology partnership on Hurricane Melissa and its role as a drone hardware enabler in social impact and disaster response use cases.
• DJI: World's largest commercial drone manufacturer, widely used across humanitarian, conservation, and mapping programs. Comparable to WeRobotics as the dominant hardware platform whose ecosystem of operators and use cases overlaps heavily with Flying Labs activities.

Others

• UNICEF Office of Innovation: UN agency unit deploying emerging technologies (including drones) for child and humanitarian outcomes in low-resource settings. Comparable to WeRobotics as a large institutional actor working with drones for development, and a current partner (UNICEF South Africa) on flooding response projects.
• Esri: Global GIS software and platform provider used across humanitarian, government, and disaster response applications. Comparable to WeRobotics through its technology partnership on Hurricane Melissa (ArcGIS, Survey123, dashboards) and as a core enabling layer for the same disaster-mapping use cases.

Emerging players

• Volansi: Operates middle-mile cargo drone services for healthcare, defense and commercial customers. Comparable to WeRobotics in cargo drone applications for healthcare and government clients, though pursuing a commercial contract model rather than a nonprofit network model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/werobotics
• Facebookfacebook.com/werobotics
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/werobotics
• Instagraminstagram.com/werobotics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 WeRobotics