Radical, a Seattle-based startup, has secured $4.5 million in seed funding to advance its development of solar-powered, autonomous airplanes for long-duration, high-altitude flights.
Led by Scout Ventures, with contributions from Inflection Mercury Fund and Y Combinator, this funding marks a significant milestone for the aerospace company.
Co-founded by CEO James Thomas and CTO Cyriel Notteboom, both veterans of Amazon’s Prime Air drone initiative, Radical aims to create lightweight aircraft capable of continuous flight in the stratosphere. The funding will primarily support team expansion, with Radical’s current team of four set to grow rapidly.
Thomas envisions Radical’s technology as enabling persistent airborne infrastructure for various applications such as imaging, remote sensing, and telecommunications. The company has already achieved a critical milestone with a 24-hour nonstop flight of a prototype in October, showcasing the feasibility of their approach.
Do you need investors for your startup?
With plans to develop a full-scale aircraft boasting a wingspan of around 110 feet and the ability to reach heights of up to 70,000 feet, Radical is focused on rapid progress. Their vision aligns with potential commercial and government applications, including real-time monitoring of weather systems and wildfire detection, among others.
Drawing from their experience at Amazon, the Radical team is well-positioned to tackle the challenges of autonomous flight and iterate toward solutions. With a commitment to innovation and a skilled team in place, Radical is poised to make significant strides in the development of solar-powered, autonomous aircraft.
To read full article / source click here
* It is a community posted article. Please read the Full Disclaimer below
Disclaimer: This post is AI-generated. Its content does not represent the views of Xstartups. Xstartups is not liable for the accuracy or implications of the content. For any concerns or copyright issue, contact us at complaint@xstartups.co.
