About Drones sector in Europe
The Drones sector in Europe comprises 1.91K companies, including 459 funded companies having collectively raised $6.39B in venture capital money and private equity. Out of these, 151 are Series A+ funded, and 3 have achieved unicorn status.
Drones sector in Europe has seen 51 acquisitions and 32 IPOs. This represents almost 4.3% of all such companies - which is higher than the 4.0% exit rate of tech companies in general.
This sector includes drones are defined as any powered unmanned aerial heavier-than-air vehicle (manual or autonomous) and excludes unmanned ground, undersea and surface vehicles.
Drones sector is also known as Unmanned Aerial Systems, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Flying Robots or Quadcopter.
Includes manufacturers of consumer, commercial and military, fixed-wing, rotor and tethered unmanned aerial vehicles; providers of software for general operation and control, navigation, autopilot, collision avoidance, fleet management, airspace and flight path mapping; UAV-enabled service providers such as drone/drone pilot marketplaces and rental platforms; drone hardware parts, accessories and peripherals including spare parts, payloads and sensors; drone detection and anti-drone technologies including anti-drone geofencing companies. Excludes unmanned ground vehicles (military, commercial and consumer RC toys), unmanned underwater vehicles; online stores in multi-brand drone retail; drone resellers and distributors; drone-focused online discussion and review forums, and drone-focused social media platforms.
Top Drones Companies in Europe
There are 1,914 Drones startups in Europe which include Quantum Systems, Parrot, Delair, Daedalean, Tekever. Out of these, 459 startups are funded, with 151 having secured Series A+ funding, and 3 achieving unicorn status.
2026 has seen the creation of 27 Drones startups in Europe. Over the past 10 years, an average of 75 new companies have been launched annually. Notably, several of these startups have been founded by alumni of University of Oxford, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and University of Cambridge.
Here is the list of top Drones startups in Europe
AI-powered aerial intelligence and reconnaissance systems. It develops autonomous drone platforms and supporting software that enable real-time aerial intelligence, high-precision mapping, and situational awareness in complex operational environments. It focuses on integrating hardware and AI-based analytics to deliver actionable insights for military and security forces, including battlefield reconnaissance, border monitoring, and tactical decision support. Its systems are designed for rapid deployment, autonomous operation, and interoperability within modern defense ecosystems.
Key facts about Quantum Systems
- Founded Year: 2015
- Location: Gilching (Germany)
- Stage: Series D
- Total Funding till date: $1.82B
- Investors: Balderton Capital, 10x Group and 37 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series D, Jul 02, 2026, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 78/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 1,399 Competitors
2. Parrot
Manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles and related software and solutions. It provides drones for professional use. The company develops software for flight control and data processing. It also offers solutions for specific industry applications. The company supports developers with software development kits. It provides support, news, and partnership opportunities.
Key facts about Parrot
- Founded Year: 1994
- Location: Paris (France)
- Stage: Public
- Investors: Sofinnova Partners, Seventure Partners and 4 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Grant (prize money), Nov 01, 2016, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 76/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 2 of 568 Competitors
3. Delair
Delair provides aerial-imagery service using proprietary drones. The company's product line includes UX11, UX5, DT18, and DT26X. The data collected by the drones are processed by professional photogrammetrists who then perform quality assurance and quality control. The company also holds a network of professional experts in specific economic sectors that analyzes the collected aerial data to solve the users' problem. Applications are in the areas of agriculture, forestry, power & utilities, security & defense, mines & quarries, oil & gas, railways & roads, and emergency.
Key facts about Delair
- Founded Year: 2011
- Location: Toulouse (France)
- Stage: Series B
- Total Funding till date: $17.4M
- Investors: Andromede, Intel Capital and 3 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Grant (prize money), Jun 01, 2020, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 67/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 5 of 689 Competitors
4. Daedalean
Developer of airborne systems for flight autonomy. It builds an autonomous sensor and autopilot system that replace the human pilot. It uses computer vision and machine learning to build navigation and control systems.
Key facts about Daedalean
- Founded Year: 2016
- Location: Zurich (Switzerland)
- Stage: Acquired
- Total Funding till date: $69.8M
- Investors: Honeywell, Carthona Capital and 10 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series B, Jan 18, 2022, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 67/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 4 of 722 Competitors
5. Tekever
Manufacturer UAVs and software products for military and enterprise applications. Its drones include fixed-wing and one quadcopter models. These UAS are specifically designed for anti-terrorist surveillance, battleground ISTAR, and environmental surveillance. It also offers an AI-enabled aerial data analytic platform. It caters to military, marine, and GIS industries.
Key facts about Tekever
- Founded Year: 2001
- Location: Lisbon (Portugal)
- Stage: Series D
- Total Funding till date: $677M
- Investors: Baillie Gifford, Ventura Capital and 9 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series D, Sep 23, 2026, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 66/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 7 of 559 Competitors
Companies founded year-on-year in the Drones sector in Europe
27 new startups have been founded so far in 2026 in the Drones sector in Europe. 131 Drones startups in Europe were founded in 2019 - this is the most number of startups founded in any year in the last 10 years.
- Total Number of Companies
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | 27 |
2025 | 50 |
2024 | 36 |
2023 | 42 |
2022 | 55 |
2021 | 67 |
2020 | 106 |
2019 | 131 |
2018 | 129 |
2017 | 115 |
Stage-wise distribution of Drones sector companies in Europe
Out of the total 1,914 Drones companies in Europe, 459 have secured funding. Among them, 151 have reached Series A or higher, and 112 to Series B or beyond.
Founded - 1,914
Funded - 459
Series A+ - 151
Series B+ - 112
Series C+ - 93
Company Stage | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Founded | 1,914 |
Funded | 459 |
Series A+ | 151 |
Series B+ | 112 |
Series C+ | 93 |
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Funding Trends in the Drones sector in Europe
Total funding year-on-year in the Drones sector in Europe
The Drones sector in Europe saw a total funding of more than $5.97B in the last 10 years. The most amount of funding has been in 2026 at more than $3B till date.
- Total Funding
Year | Total Funding |
|---|---|
2026 | $3B |
2025 | $1.32B |
2024 | $485M |
2023 | $296M |
2022 | $361M |
2021 | $143M |
2020 | $84.7M |
2019 | $150M |
2018 | $99.5M |
2017 | $29.9M |
Recent Funding Rounds in Drones in Europe
In the year 2026, till September 2026, Drones companies in Europe have raised $2.81B in equity funding across 45 rounds.
In the same period last year (i.e. till September 2025), Drones companies in Europe had raised $654M across 37 rounds.
So, 2026 has seen a 329.9% rise in funding in Drones companies in Europe as compared to 2025.
Here are some recent, important funding rounds in Drones companies in Europe:
Company | Round Raised | Amount Raised | Funding Date | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Series A | 5743 | Sep 30, 2026 | ||
Series D | 8959 | Sep 23, 2026 | ||
Series B | 7999 | Sep 11, 2026 | ||
Seed | 4819 | Sep 11, 2026 | ||
Seed | 6423 | Aug 18, 2026 |
Top Investors in Drones in Europe
Europa is the top investor in Drones companies in Europe based on number of companies invested.
Here are some top investors in Drones companies in Europe:
Investor | Location | Top Portfolio Companies |
|---|---|---|
Brussels (Belgium) | ||
Los Angeles (United States) | ||
Sunnyvale (United States) | ||
Schlieren (Switzerland) |
M&A activity in Drones sector in Europe
In the year 2026, till September 2026, 4 acquisitions happened in Drones sector in Europe. Last year, in 2025, a total of 5 acquisitions happened in Drones sector in Europe.
Here are some recent, important acquisitions in Drones sector in Europe:
Company | Acquisition Type | Acquisition Date | Acquirers |
|---|---|---|---|
Business Acquisition | Sep 02, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Aug 27, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Jun 18, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Feb 02, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Nov 27, 2025 |
Acquisition trends in Drones sector in Europe
Here are the acquisition trends in Drones sector in Europe:
- Total Number of Acquisitions
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | 4 |
2025 | 5 |
2024 | 7 |
2023 | 5 |
2022 | 4 |
2021 | 6 |
2020 | 4 |
2019 | 5 |
2018 | 3 |
2017 | 2 |
IPOs in Drones in Europe
In the year 2022, till April 2022, 1 IPO happened in Drones sector in Europe.
Here are some recent, important IPOs in Drones sector in Europe:
Company | IPO Date | Exchange Symbol |
|---|---|---|
Apr 29, 2022 | Euronext Exchange (Euronext) | |
Apr 22, 2015 | Euronext Exchange (Euronext) | |
Jun 28, 2013 | Euronext Exchange (Euronext) | |
Aug 15, 2006 | OTC Markets (OTCMKTS) | |
Jun 27, 2006 | Euronext Exchange (Euronext) |
Colleges which produce the most Drones companies in Europe
Companies founded by alumni from top colleges in the Drones in Europe
Most number of Drones startups in Europe have been founded by alumni from University of Oxford, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and University of Cambridge.
College | No. of companies |
|---|---|
University of Oxford | 7 |
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich | 5 |
University of Cambridge | 5 |
ETH Zurich | 4 |
Imperial College London | 4 |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 4 |
HEC Paris | 3 |
INSEAD | 3 |
London Business School (LBS) | 3 |
Technical University of Munich | 3 |
Total funding in Drones companies founded by alumni from top colleges in Europe
In the last 10 years, HEC Paris graduates' Drones companies in Europe have raised the most funding among top colleges. Harvard Business School alumni are second, and University of Cambridge alumni are third.
College | Total Funding |
|---|---|
HEC Paris | $2.66B |
Harvard Business School | $835M |
University of Cambridge | $290M |
Harvard University | $191M |
ETH Zurich | $182M |
University of Oxford | $175M |
Haas School of Business | $140M |
University of California (Berkeley) | $140M |
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich | $97.1M |
University of Toronto | $76.1M |
Top News in Drones in Europe
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Armaments unicorn Quantum System is expected to grow to a valuation of 5 billion eurosmanager magazin•Oct 16, 2025•Quantum Systems
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Swiss-US Drone Software Firm Auterion Raises $130 Million with Support from Rheinmetall Partnermanager magazin•Sep 23, 2025•The Mosaic Company, Auterion, Lakestar, Bessemer Venture Partners and 7 others
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EuroUSC Italia Rebrands as Unifly Consulting to Expand Drone OperationsUAS Vision•Jul 17, 2025•EuroUSC Italia S.r.l., Unifly
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Dronavia partners with Sculpteo to additively manufacture drone componentsTCT Magazine•Jun 24, 2025•Sculpteo, Dronavia
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