AkzoNobel invests in automated drone company

After raising €1M in 2016, Donecle is proud to announce the completion of a second funding round of €5.6M. The majority of this funding has been provided by two new investors, both world-renowned players in the aerospace industry, one of which is AkzoNobel (Netherlands).

Founded in 2015, Donecle is a French company specialising in automated inspection by drone. Its digital technology has revolutionised the inspection process, whether for civil and military aircraft or components such as landing gear and engines. Donecle’s drone-based inspections offer a safer, repeatable and reliable alternative to conventional procedures for airlines, repair centres and other industry players.

AkzoNobel and Donecle share the same vision, as Donecle’s CEO Matthieu Claybrough explains:

“We are very pleased to announce the completion of this funding round, which testifies to the trust that our customers, partners and investors all place in us. We’re also thrilled to be able to count on players who share our vision and are working with us to make it a reality. By investing in our future, AkzoNobel is helping us ramp up our inspection capabilities and scale them in their respective markets.”

AkzoNobel is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of paint and high-performance coatings, while also being one of the leading companies in the aerospace coating industry. The partnership between AkzoNobel and Donecle has contributed to the development of AkzoNobel’s new digital, data-driven predictive maintenance service. Its innovative “Aerofleet Coatings Management” uses the data collected by Donecle drones to monitor and proactively manage coatings on individual aircraft within airline fleets.

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Patrick Bourguignon, BU Director, AkzoNobel Automotive & Specialty Coatings, says the investment reflects the company’s strategy of partnering with best-in-class technologies:

“It matches our commitment to developing new and ever more innovative services and solutions that help our aerospace customers to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and support a significantly more sustainable operation.”

This increase in capital strengthens Donecle’s dominant position in the emerging market for aircraft inspections by drone. The funds raised will underpin an expansion of our marketing activities and an acceleration in production rates. They will also be used to fast-track ongoing qualification programmes with all the major aircraft manufacturers while extending their scope to include new capabilities under development, such as artificial intelligence for automatic detection and classification and the Iris dentCHECK for 3D measurement of certain types of damage.

Donecle is proud of its journey and looks forward to stepping up our current partnership with AkzoNobel, whose expertise and commitment to the aerospace industry will help us to achieve our shared vision of digitalising aircraft inspections so as to increase the productivity of inspectors and decision-makers, ultimately saving time, materials, equipment and money.

Contact us for more information: https://www.donecle.com/contact/