MERIO
MERIO SAS designs and manufactures gyrostabilized gimbal and turret systems and an embedded AI vision software platform (VisionAI) for aerial, ground, and maritime defense applications. The company sells primarily to government armed forces, UAV manufacturers, and security operators across more than 15 countries through direct enterprise sales and a global channel partner network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersLyon, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What MERIO does
MERIO SAS is a French defense technology company founded in 2014 that designs and manufactures gyrostabilized gimbal and turret systems for aerial, ground, and maritime platforms, plus an embedded AI software platform called VisionAI. Its hardware portfolio covers three families — Milvus (aerial, 245g to 7kg, with EO/IR/LRF and laser designation variants), Zephyr (maritime, MWIR-cooled observation gimbals), and Oryx (terrestrial, ground-vehicle gimbals) — all built around customizable optronic sensor stacks and 4-axis gyrostabilization with in-house mechanics, electronics, and software. The VisionAI suite comprises VisionMax, VisionLight, and VisionOEM edge AI processors (real-time detection, tracking, and classification at <100ms latency on 80-210g hardware, zero cloud dependency, deployed on 500+ platforms) plus VisionControl, a unified ground control station software with MAVLink, ArduPilot, PX4, STANAG 4586/3733, and MISB interoperability.
The company sells B2B to defense and security end-users, primarily armed forces (French Armed Forces, European Armed Forces, international partner forces in 15+ countries), UAV manufacturers, and maritime operators via direct enterprise sales, defense trade shows (Eurosatory, Xponential Europe, World Defense Show), and a five-country channel partner network (Saudi Arabia, Poland, Taiwan, USA, Singapore). Revenue is generated through hardware sales of standard catalog gimbals and custom-configured solutions, subscription/enterprise licensing for VisionAI software, and integration support and warranty services under multi-year contracts with quote-based pricing. Revenue model is mixed: hardware-led but increasingly augmented by recurring AI software licenses and services.
MERIO is majority owned by THEON International Plc following a May 2026 binding exclusivity agreement to acquire 80% of the company at an approximately €300 million enterprise value. FY2026 projections disclosed in the acquisition context point to revenue above €15 million and EBIT above €3.5 million. THEON intends to retain the Merio brand while leveraging its global reach to scale the platform, particularly the Milvus laser designation system co-developed with Portuguese UAV manufacturer TEKEVER for precision-strike and loitering-munition applications.
MERIO firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MERIO
- Legal name
- MERIO
- Website
- https://merio.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- MERIO SAS designs and manufactures gyrostabilized gimbal and turret systems and an embedded AI vision software platform (VisionAI) for aerial, ground, and maritime defense applications. The company sells primarily to government armed forces, UAV manufacturers, and security operators across more than 15 countries through direct enterprise sales and a global channel partner network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MERIO industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Defense Optronics and Gyrostabilized Turret Systems
- NAICS
- Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)
- akta.pro primary industry
- UAS Payloads (EO/IR, LiDAR, SAR, SIGINT) & Gimbals (IMABAIAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Autonomy Software, AI & Mission Management (UAS/UXV) (IMABAIAH), Autonomous Flight Control & Guidance Systems (UAS/Urban Air Mobility) (IMABAFAO), Military Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) & Autonomous Aerial Platforms (IMABAMAC)
Keywords
Where MERIO is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lyon
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
MERIO business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales - Gyrostabilized Gimbals and Turrets: Sale of gyrostabilized gimbal and turret systems across three product lines (Milvus for aerial, Zephyr for maritime, Oryx for terrestrial). Revenue from both standard catalog products and custom/configured solutions based on specific customer sensor requirements.
- Software - VisionAI Platform: Licensing and distribution of VisionAI software products including VisionMax (edge AI processor software) and VisionControl (ground control station software). Distribution through secure Cloudflare R2 CDN with enterprise licensing.
- Integration and Support Services: Engineering support for integration, warranty extensions, and maintenance services. Dedicated engineering support with guaranteed response times (<4h response).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom quote-based pricing for defense turrets and gimbal systems |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
MERIO product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MERIO designs, manufactures, and sells gyrostabilized gimbal and turret systems equipped with customizable optronic sensor payloads (EO/IR/LRF/laser designator) for aerial, ground, and maritime defense platforms. The company also develops and licenses the VisionAI software platform (VisionMax edge AI processor, VisionControl ground station) providing real-time object detection, tracking, and classification for UAVs and unmanned systems. Its products are deployed with French, European, and international armed forces, with thousands of units operational worldwide.
Product overview
MERIO is a French defense technology company that designs and manufactures high-performance gyrostabilized gimbal and turret systems for aerial, ground, and maritime defense applications. The product portfolio consists of three gimbal families (Milvus for aerial, Zephyr for maritime, Oryx for land) and an AI software suite (VisionAI). The gimbal families range from ultra-compact 245g micro-drone payloads to 7kg naval-grade systems, all featuring customizable optronic sensors (EO/IR/LRF/LTD), built-in H.264/H.265 video processing with AI-powered tracking and classification, and Franco-European component sourcing. The VisionAI software platform extends these systems with edge AI processors (VisionMax, VisionLight, VisionOEM) for real-time object detection/tracking and VisionControl ground station software for mission management. The platform supports MAVLink/ArduPilot/PX4 autopilot integration, STANAG 4586 interoperability, and is deployed on 500+ operational platforms across 10+ countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- VisionAI: AI-powered vision systems platform for defense and ISR operations, including VisionMax (edge AI processor for real-time object detection and tracking) and VisionControl (unified ground control station software for drone operations and sensor management).
- Milvus
- Zephyr
- Oryx
Products and services
- Milvus 7 / Milvus 7S Ultra-compact aerial gyrostabilized gimbal weighing 245g with 7cm diameter, featuring Full HD day camera with 160x zoom and LWIR 640x480 thermal camera. Designed for micro-drones and lightweight aerial platforms.
- Milvus 10 / Milvus 10M Compact aerial gyrostabilized gimbal at 10cm diameter weighing approximately 650g, with Full HD day camera (160x zoom), LWIR 640x480 thermal camera, laser range finder (4.5km), and laser pointer (850nm).
- Milvus 14 / Milvus 14Z Aerial gyrostabilized gimbal at 14cm diameter weighing 2kg, with Full HD day camera (30x optical zoom), LWIR 640x480 thermal camera (5x optical zoom), laser range finder, and laser pointer for tactical detection and targeting missions.
- Milvus 16MW High-performance aerial gyrostabilized gimbal (16cm diameter, 2.8kg) with MWIR cooled thermal camera and Full HD day camera (30x/36x optical zoom), laser range finder (12km), and laser pointer for enhanced day/night observation.
- Milvus 16D Compact aerial gyrostabilized gimbal (16cm, ~2.5kg) with LWIR SXGA thermal camera (1280x1024), Full HD day camera, laser range finder (12km), and STANAG 3733 compliant laser designator (>50mJ) for precision targeting.
- Milvus 25S Aerial gyrostabilized gimbal at 25cm diameter weighing 5.5kg, with Full HD day camera (30x zoom), MWIR cooled thermal camera (640x512, 15x zoom), laser range finder, and laser pointer for observation and tactical pointing missions.
- Milvus 25HP High-performance aerial gyrostabilized gimbal (25cm, 6.3kg) with Full HD day camera (55x zoom) and MWIR thermal camera (640x512, 25x zoom), laser range finder and pointer for long-range surveillance.
- Milvus 25HD High-definition aerial gyrostabilized gimbal (25cm, 6.5kg) with Full HD day camera (55x zoom) and MWIR SXGA thermal camera (1280x1024, 20x zoom), laser range finder and pointer for premium surveillance missions.
- Milvus 25D Aerial gyrostabilized gimbal (25cm, 7kg) with laser designation capability, featuring Full HD day camera (30x zoom), MWIR thermal camera (640x480, 15x zoom), laser range finder, pointer, and >50mJ STANAG 3733 laser designator for precision-guided weapons support.
- Zephyr 25S Maritime gyrostabilized gimbal at 25cm diameter weighing 5.5kg, with Full HD day camera (30x zoom), MWIR cooled thermal camera (640x512, 15x zoom), laser range finder (15km), and laser pointer for naval surveillance and observation.
- Zephyr 25HP High-performance maritime gyrostabilized gimbal (25cm, 6.3kg) with Full HD day camera (55x zoom), MWIR cooled thermal camera (640x512, 25x zoom), laser range finder, and laser pointer for long-range naval operations.
- Oryx 12S Lightweight terrestrial gyrostabilized gimbal (~1.5kg) with Full HD day camera (360x zoom), LWIR uncooled VGA thermal camera (8x zoom), laser range finder (12km, up to 20km vehicle detection), and optional laser pointer. Designed for land vehicles.
- Oryx 12HD High-definition terrestrial gyrostabilized gimbal (~2kg) with Full HD day camera (360x zoom), LWIR uncooled SXGA thermal camera (1280x1024, 8x zoom), laser range finder (12km), and optional laser pointer for enhanced land vehicle surveillance.
- VisionMax Sealed, ruggedized edge AI processor (210g) for real-time video analytics on fixed-wing, VTOL, and ground vehicles. Delivers object detection, tracking, and classification via deep learning inference with GPU acceleration. Operates from -40C to +71C, supports MAVLink for autopilot integration, and deploys on 500+ operational platforms.
- VisionLight Lightweight edge AI processor (38% lighter than VisionMax) for Group 1 UAS and micro-drones. Same AI capabilities as VisionMax with 130g weight, 78x57x27mm dimensions, 3W/9W power consumption, and MAVLink plus serial interface support.
- VisionOEM Bare board AI vision module (80g, 75x56x13mm) for OEM integration and gimbal systems. Features programmable IO.open() interface with dedicated engineering support and 3-year warranty.
- VisionControl Unified ground control station software for drone operations and sensor control. Supports up to 16 simultaneous video streams, real-time system diagnostics, mission profiles, gimbal/joystick control with customizable presets, secure recording with metadata overlay, and integration with VisionMax AI and third-party sensors. Runs on Windows 10/11.
Quantifiable outcome
- Detection range up to 35km for vehicles in daytime conditions
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use MERIO
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
MERIO technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
AI capability2 records
Feature6 records
MERIO partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- THEON InternationalcoreTHEON International entered exclusivity agreement to acquire 80% stake in Merio SAS for approximately €300 million enterprise value. Acquisition supports THEON's strategic goal of reaching €1 billion in revenue by 2029 through portfolio diversification and geographic expansion. Merio will continue operations under its brand while benefiting from THEON's global reach.
- Flying Objects TechnologiescorePartnership with Flying Objects Technologies for joint presence at Xponential Europe 2026 in Düsseldorf. Presented VisionControl and VisionMax AI vision solutions to the European autonomous systems and robotics community.
- NicomaticcoreLong-standing partnership with Nicomatic, a reference for high-performance interconnection solutions for harsh environments. Joint presence at World Defense Show 2026 in Riyadh demonstrating the Milvus system with Merio's AI vision technology.
- TEKEVERcorePartnership with Portuguese drone maker TEKEVER to integrate the Milvus compact laser designation gimbal into TEKEVER's UAVs. MoU signed at UAV Show 2025 in Bordeaux. Enables drones to spot, track, and 'paint' targets while feeding coordinates to other platforms for long-range precision strikes.
- TaifungminorRegional partner based in Taipei, Taiwan for local customer engagement and support in the Asia-Pacific region.
- UAV Propulsion TechminorRegional partner based in Washington D.C., USA for local customer engagement and support in the North American market.
- Precision TechnologiesminorRegional partner based in Singapore for local customer engagement and support in the Southeast Asian market.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
MERIO competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Thales: Global French defence prime with significant optronics and UAV payload business. Competes with Merio on airborne ISR turrets, laser designation, and naval surveillance gimbals.
- Teledyne FLIR Defense: US-based leader in thermal imaging and integrated drone payload solutions. Competes with Merio in micro-gimbals (Black Hornet-class) and broader EO/IR drone payload programs.
- Elbit Systems: Israeli defence electronics major with extensive EO/IR payload, UAV, and intelligence systems portfolio. Comparable across gimbal product families, AI-enabled ISR, and international defence sales footprint.
- Hensoldt: German-listed defence electronics house offering EO/IR sensors, radar, and avionics. Competes with Merio in surveillance gimbals, laser targeting, and integrated ISR solutions for European armed forces.
- Safran Electronics & Defense: Major European defence prime with broad optronics, navigation, and UAV payload capabilities (including via Optics 1 and HENSOLDT portfolio acquisitions). Competes with Merio at the prime/prime-subcontractor interface.
Direct peers
- CONTROP Precision Technologies: Israeli specialist in EO/IR gimbal and surveillance systems for UAVs, airborne, maritime, and homeland security applications. Competes head-to-head with Merio in compact drone payloads and stabilisation technology.
- Silent Sentinel: UK designer and manufacturer of gyrostabilised EO/IR turrets and thermal imaging platforms for defence and security. Overlaps directly with Merio's gimbal product lines and customer base.
- Trakka Systems: Australia/Israel-based manufacturer of gyrostabilized EO/IR gimbals and searchlights for airborne, ground, and maritime platforms. Directly comparable to Merio's Milvus, Zephyr, and Oryx families across mission profiles and target customers.
Emerging players
- Octopus ISR Systems: German specialist in compact EO/IR sensor systems for small drones and tactical UAVs. Competes with Merio in micro-gimbals for Group 1 UAS and similar mission profiles.
- UAVision: Portuguese gyro-stabilised EO/IR gimbal and airborne sensor provider for UAVs. Closely comparable to Merio's Milvus range and adjacent in Iberian/European drone payload market.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
MERIO social profiles
Digital presenceMERIO compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
MERIO financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MERIO leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
MERIO funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MERIO 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 MERIO
What does MERIO do?
MERIO designs, manufactures, and sells gyrostabilized gimbal and turret systems equipped with customizable optronic sensor payloads (EO/IR/LRF/laser designator) for aerial, ground, and maritime defense platforms. The company also develops and licenses the VisionAI software platform (VisionMax edge AI processor, VisionControl ground station) providing real-time object detection, tracking, and classification for UAVs and unmanned systems. Its products are deployed with French, European, and international armed forces, with thousands of units operational worldwide.
Is MERIO a public or private company?
MERIO is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was MERIO founded?
MERIO was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is MERIO based?
MERIO is headquartered in Lyon, France, in the Europe region.
How does MERIO make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales - Gyrostabilized Gimbals and Turrets are the primary driver. The others are software - VisionAI Platform and integration and Support Services.
Who are MERIO's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Thales, Teledyne FLIR Defense, Elbit Systems, Hensoldt and Safran Electronics & Defense. Direct peers are CONTROP Precision Technologies, Silent Sentinel and Trakka Systems. Emerging players are Octopus ISR Systems and UAVision.
Does MERIO have an API?
No public API is recorded for MERIO.
What industry is MERIO in?
MERIO's product category is Defense Optronics and Gyrostabilized Turret Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAIAI, UAS Payloads (EO/IR, LiDAR, SAR, SIGINT) & Gimbals, with a secondary code of IMABAIAH, Autonomy Software, AI & Mission Management (UAS/UXV). Its NAICS code is 334511 and its SIC code is 3812.