HHLA Sky, a provider of mobile robotics and automation, has merged with German drone manufacturer Third Element Aviation, bringing together two long-standing partners.
The newly unified company will continue under the HHLA Sky name and aims to consolidate its position as a European provider of industrial-scale drone and robot automation solutions.
The merger combines HHLA Sky’s mobile robot management software and its Integrated Control Center (ICC) platform with Third Element Aviation’s drone design and manufacturing capabilities.
According to the company, this integration will enable more advanced, networked drone operations, including the coordinated control of multiple automated drones and mobile robots operating beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS).
HHLA Sky’s ICC system allows centralised oversight of drone and robot fleets at different locations from a single control hub. The merger is expected to enhance this capability by adding in-house drone production to the existing software and control infrastructure.
Wiebke Kropp-Büttner and Matthias Gronstedt, managing directors of HHLA Sky, said: “By merging our expertise, we are strengthening Europe’s leadership in automated drone technology.
“Together, we are setting the standard in automation and drone network integration, which is critical given the increasing global competition in this field.
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