UAV firm revs up with £6 million to roll out methane detecting drone in the U.S.

Hampshire-based unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) business that uses drones to aid methane detection, Flylogix has raised £6 million funding to fly into new territories. The round was led by Amati Global Investors and saw the participation of bp ventures.

The company will use the fresh capital to expand into new geographies, including the U.S., Norway and Trinidad & Tobago. It will also crossover into the biodiversity and renewable energy industries, conducting wind turbine blade inspections for offshore sites.

The unmanned aviation startup, which holds the U.K. record for the longest commercial drone flight, is working towards verifying methane emissions safely to validate the accurate reporting of emissions data. The ground-breaking methane-detecting drone helps in driving down emissions without the need for additional people offshore and the cost and carbon emissions.

Charles Tavner, CEO, Flylogix, said: “This latest investment will enable us to bring our proven UAV technology to new regions and develop applications to realise the potential of unmanned aerial vehicles. It is a significant moment for the business.”

David Hayes, managing partner, bp ventures, added: “We are investing in companies that can help us with our Net Zero ambition and aims. Flylogix has been instrumental in how we undertake measurements of methane emissions in the North Sea. Accurate emissions measurements are the basis upon which mitigation plans are based – we look forward to continuing our partnership with Flylogix as it expands into new regions.”