HyLight Raises €13M to Expand Inspection Airships

The big picture: French company HyLight has raised €13 million to expand its business with hydrogen-powered inspection airships, aiming to replace traditional, high-emission helicopters.

Why it matters:

• Environmental Impact: HyLight’s hydrogen-powered airships offer a zero-emission alternative to helicopters, which produce up to one ton of CO2 per flight hour for infrastructure inspections.
• Efficiency & Safety: The autonomous HyLighter airships provide up to 10 hours of flight time, 350 kilometers of range, and high-resolution data collection, enhancing safety and reducing costs compared to human-piloted aircraft.
• Market Opportunity: With global linear infrastructure exceeding 80 million kilometers and increasing demand for frequent inspections due to climate change and grid strain, HyLight addresses a significant and growing market need.

How it works:

• Autonomous Operation: HyLight’s 12-meter HyLighter airship uses helium for lift and is propelled by electric motors powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, enabling autonomous flights beyond visual line of sight.
• Advanced Sensing: Each airship can carry up to 10 kilograms of sensors, including LiDAR, cameras, and methane detectors, to collect high-precision data at a resolution of one millimeter per pixel.
• AI-Powered Analysis: Proprietary software analyzes the collected data to identify and locate over 50 types of power-grid defects and vegetation risks, generating concise reports for maintenance teams.

The catch: While HyLight claims no direct competitors, other companies like Kelluu and FuVeX are also developing inspection airships and drones. Scaling contracts with large utilities to support a planned fleet expansion from four to fifteen aircraft remains a key challenge, especially as helicopters currently dominate most inspection work, covering only 8% of Enedis’ planned inspections with airships.

Key Facts

• Company: HyLight
• Amount: €13M
• Investors: Rubio Impact Ventures, DRW, Teampact Ventures, Y Combinator, Ring Capital
• Founders: Martin Bocken, Théo Hoenen
• Sector: Hydrogen-powered Inspection Airships
• Headquarters: Paris, France