French startup HyLight raises €13 million to build autonomous airships

French statup HyLight has raised €13 million in order to scale up the production of autonomous airships. 

HyLight, which was founded in 2022 and has passed through the renowned Silicon Valley startup accelerator Y Combinator, develops lighter-than-air platforms for the aerial inspection of infrastructure. 

Thanks to their long speed and long endurance, airships are able to inspect high-tension power lines, railway tracks and pipelines at a fraction of the cost of a helicopter. It’s also without any risk to staff, who can control the airship remotely. 

HyLight’s airships are 12 meters long and produce little noise and no direct carbon emissions. They are powered by an electrical engine with a hydrogen fuel cell with a targeted range of up to 350 kilometers (217 miles). 

Each airship is fitted with a suit of sensors, including LiDAR, cameras and methane detectors, which can perform detailed inspections while hovering at an altitude of around 25 meters. 

In addition to building the hardware, HyLight has also developed software which is able to analyze the data collected by the sensors. It can also identify up to 50 different types of potential issues on the infrastructure it is monitoring, while providing actionable insights to the operators on the ground. 

As of October 2026, HyLight has four airships in operation, mostly in France, and has already performed a number of genuine missions for energy and transportation operators. With the additional capital raised, the startup aims to expand its team and build at least an additional 11 airships. The company’s goal is to be able to operate 15 airships simultaneously in 2027. Germany and The Netherlands are the next markets HyLight plans to target with this technology. 

This funding round has been led by three venture capital firms – Rubio Impact Ventures, DRW and Teampact Ventures – which have been joined by existing investors Y Combinator and Ring Capital. 

HyLight previously raised US$4 million (€3.7 million) through a funding round it closed in April 2024. The post French startup HyLight raises €13 million to build autonomous airships appeared first on AeroTime.

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