Aerospace giant Boeing announced this week an investment in a startup that aims to provide repairs and maintenance services as commercial drones become increasingly prominent.
The company’s HorizonX Ventures arm, along with Thayer Ventures, Sun Mountain Capital and KickStart Seed Fund, participated in the fundraising campaign by Robotic Skies, an Albuquerque-based company that connects unmanned aircraft system manufacturers and operators with a network of repair stations certified by civil aviation regulators.
Boeing and two of its subsidiaries previously announced a partnership with Robotic Skies to provide UAS services last fall. Company officials said the latest investment would bolster Boeing’s efforts to shape an "on-demand mobility” ecosystem incorporating aircraft, air vehicles and autonomous technologies.
Robotic Skies executives, meanwhile, said the funding would enable it to grow its operational capabilities and global footprint.
"Unmanned and autonomous commercial aircraft operations are increasingly mirroring those in manned aviation, including the need for quality maintenance provided by certified technicians,” Robotic Skies founder and CEO Brad Hayden said in a statement.