Terra Drone, a Japanese commercial drone technology company, has acquired what it calls a “significant” stake in Swedish startup Inkonova AB, which specialises in aerial platforms and aerial autonomous navigation/mapping solutions that are customised to the constraints of underground mines and subterranean or constricted industrial spaces..

Terra Drone’s UAV inspection, survey, and other service provisions cover various industries globally including mining.

Terra Drone says the deal includes a cash injection, changes to the management team, as well as technical, business development, and operational collaborations.

Ahmed Al Nomany, Inkonova AB Cofounder and CEO said the deal would help the company to “dramatically ramp our business development and commercial-readiness efforts, taking our technology to the next level”.

Inkonova will supply Terra Drone with its UAV core technology, including anti-dust and waterproof platforms, such as the TILT Ranger and its Batonomous infrastructure-denied autonomous navigation system, while Terra Drone, in addition to financing, will contribute its global clients, local offices, pilots, post-processing capacity, and broader commercial and technical domain expertise.

The TILT Ranger (soon to be rebranded Terra Ranger) is a laser-scanning drone solution with collision avoidance capability. The hybrid run/fly/climb concept (see photo) is specially designed for underground mines, tunnels, and similarly dark and constricted zones.