Hybrid VTOL manufacturer Volans-i raises $20 million series A funding

Volans-i, Inc., an on-demand aerial delivery business based in San Francisco, has raised $20 Million in Series A funding. The funding was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, who was the lead investor for Volans-i’s seed round funding, with support from Y Combinator.

Volans-i builds and operates high-speed long-range drones for on-demand delivery of time-critical shipments. These high-payload unmanned aerial systems (UAS) provide delivery services for commercial, defense and humanitarian applications including delivery of parts and medical supplies. The company was founded in 2015 by Hannan Parvizian and Wesley Zheng and is headquartered in San Francisco, with a production facility in Concord, CA.

The Series A funding enables Volans-i to expand its operations in the commercial and defense markets and build out its product offerings.​ ​“Volans-i brings a new means of transportation and aerial autonomy to the market,” says Hannan Parvizian, CEO of Volans-i. “We are very proud to have the support of Lightspeed Partners and our other investors as we expand our services and support our customers.”

Volans-i leverages drone technology as a transportation method to help customers gain control of their supply chain and save millions of dollars on downtime and inventory. The company provides key support to commercial and defence industries, including construction, mining, oil & gas, medical and heavy equipment operations. Volans-i also creates an avenue for customers and communities to receive life-saving supplies when needed most.

Volans-i was a proud partner to an innovative approach to disaster relief in Puerto Rico in 2018-19. In the wake of natural disasters, poor access to healthcare and supplies contributes significantly to illness and mortality. Working with Merck & Co. Inc. and Direct Relief, the Volans-i team tested drone flights and the coordinated processes needed to provide medical supplies to disaster areas. Volans-i provided the drones and the piloting, as well as the quick securing of flight permissions. Securing inter-island flight permissions has traditionally been a major stumbling block in the implementation of emergency supply drone cargo deliveries.

The success of the mission demonstrated Volans-i’s expertise and capacity to provide aid to disaster-struck regions with its unmanned vehicles. “Our services via unmanned aerial systems can help save lives in disaster areas”, says Parvizian. “We are pleased to collaborate with Merck and other partners on this innovative new model of disaster-relief delivery.”