Orqa, a leader in advanced autonomous drone solutions, announced that it raised €5.8 million in a seed round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, with participation from Radius Capital, Decisive Point and existing investor Day One Capital.
The funding is pivotal for the drone industry and Western markets. As regulatory tailwinds and focus shifted towards affordable, large-scale production, unprecedented opportunities are opening up in both defense and enterprise markets.
With the recent U.S. Replicator Drone Program aiming to field thousands of attritable autonomous systems, the demand for robust and scalable drone solutions is rising rapidly. And with thousands of avionics components, radio systems, drones, pilot goggles, and controllers produced and sold monthly, Orqa is well-positioned to address critical global challenges.
This trend was further highlighted by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, where thousands of drones are deployed monthly, demonstrating the crucial need for mass-produced, cost-effective solutions. And recent incidents in the Red Sea, where low-cost Houthi drones have disrupted global supply chains, highlight the strategic importance of affordable drone and counter-drone systems.
The funding will enable Orqa to capitalize on two significant market opportunities:
1.) Defense Sector Demand for ‘Precise Mass’ – The global defense landscape is evolving rapidly, with NATO and allied nations demanding cost-effective, scalable solutions to strengthen military readiness. Orqa’s ability to design and produce all core drone components in-house ensures compliance with stringent regulations, including the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
2.) Enterprise Adoption of Autonomous Solutions – Orqa is also expanding its footprint in the enterprise market, targeting applications such as remote inspection, security surveillance, and emergency response. With the commercial drone market expected to reach $41.3 billion by 2026, Orqa’s ability to adapt its ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) capabilities for enterprise use cases positions the company to serve a broad range of industries, including energy, utilities, and construction.
Orqa’s vertically integrated approach, combining deep expertise in component manufacturing with the ability to produce end-to-end drone platforms, sets it apart in the industry. And this integration allows Orqa to maintain a high level of control over its supply chain, a crucial advantage amid tightening regulations and supply chain vulnerabilities. By designing and producing its critical components in-house, Orqa ensures that every aspect of its drones meets the highest standards while also tightly integrating these components into fully assembled systems.
As a European-based company, Orqa provides much-needed supply-chain security to Western unmanned technology ecosystems, which still heavily rely on Chinese suppliers for critical components at a time when the supply chain is commonly weaponized in the geopolitical theater. This new funding round includes investors with a deep understanding of both the defense and enterprise markets.
The funding will be used to expand Orqa’s team, focusing on strengthening software, sales and manufacturing capabilities. And Arnaud Thiercelin’s recent appointment as Chief Product Officer brings deep expertise in enterprise sales and scaling ambitious UAS projects, drawing from his experience at industry leaders DJI and Auterion.
KEY QUOTE:
“We are witnessing a technological inflection point, where the ability to produce and field large quantities of affordable, high-performance drones can redefine the battlefield and beyond. This funding will allow us to pursue a much bolder technology roadmap and position Orqa as the #1 provider of western-made unmanned technology solutions. We’re not just building the ‘DJI of the West’ here, we are committed to helping develop a strong and resilient ecosystem of Western providers of advanced unmanned systems for both defense and enterprise applications.”
“Our alignment with the goals of the U.S. Replicator Program and our focus on secure, Western-made systems position Orqa as a trusted partner in delivering advanced solutions for modern warfare.”
“Our approach to vertical integration gives us the flexibility to scale production efficiently—from the core technology inside each drone to the entire platform itself. This end-to-end control enables us to deliver high-performance, scalable drone solutions that can quickly adapt to the evolving needs of both defense and enterprise markets.”
“Until now, Orqa has proudly grown with European backing, led by Day One Capital. This round marks a new chapter, bringing in top-tier US and global investors to fuel our vision of a trans-Atlantic alliance that keeps the West at the forefront of the unmanned technology race. With competition from China heating up, earning the trust of our new partners is a crucial step in our mission to build a powerhouse that serves both European and North American markets.”
– Srdjan Kovacevic, CEO of Orqa
“Orqa is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the growing demand for scalable drone solutions. Their vision to build a Western alternative to DJI, coupled with their commitment to building a global leader with European roots, makes this an exciting investment.”
“Once you have a great ISR drone, you have essentially built the enterprise drone of tomorrow.”
– Antoine Moyroud, partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners
