Swiss-based startup FireDrone has received €161,000 (CHF 150,000) from Venture Kick to develop heat-resistant drones for extreme environments.
Firefighters and industrial safety teams encounter risks when assessing high-temperature settings, including burning buildings and industrial furnaces. Hazards can include toxic smoke, structural instability, and extreme heat, and conventional drones typically cannot operate in these conditions, limiting real-time situational awareness.
FireDrone, an Empa spin-off, develops heat-resistant autonomous drones designed to withstand temperatures of around 200°C and provide real-time hazard detection in environments where standard systems are ineffective. The platform uses thermal insulation and cooling to support safety, reduce downtime, and inform operational decisions.
The company focuses on two primary segments: high-temperature industrial inspections and public safety. Its initial addressable market includes cement, steel and aluminium, waste-to-energy, fertiliser, and glass production, as well as first-responder scenarios where conventional drones cannot operate due to heat and smoke. Across these sectors, shared priorities like reducing downtime, improving worker safety, and meeting regulatory requirements, are addressed by FireDrone’s real-time monitoring in extreme environments.
The new round will support FireDrone’s go-to-market strategy by strengthening its business development team, establishing distribution and maintenance partnerships, advancing product certification, and turning pilot projects into pre-orders across target industries.
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