French aircraft drone inspection firm Donecle raises $6 million

French automated aircraft inspection specialist Donecle has moved to strengthen its position in an activity it was among the first drone startups to pioneer with its recently completed second round of fund raising that attracted €5.6 million ($5.9 million), and a leading industrial backer in Dutch paint giant AkzoNobel.

Donecle announced the closing of the financing drive  – only its second after an initial $1.3 million campaign way back in 2016. Since that time, the Toulouse-based firm has grown its drone-based method of aircraft inspection both organically and externally, including its 2022 acquisition of fellow French startup Dronétix Technologie and its specialized 3D mapping tech of planes.

Though hardly alone in developing drones and adapted analytic systems to quickly and accurately conduct civil and military aircraft inspections, Donecle has earned a reputation as one of the faster-moving and innovating startups in the field. 

A reflection of that is its recruitment of AkzoNobel as a backer. Not only is the Dutch industrial company one of the major global players in paint manufacturing, but it has also staked out a significant role in marketing products specifically for the aviation sector.

In throwing its weight behind Doncele’s nearly $6 million capital infusion, AkzoNobel is looking to offer its own insights in external aircraft coatings to the aircraft inspection, maintenance, and servicing activities the startup’s automated drone fleets provide.

“It matches our commitment to developing new and ever more innovative services and solutions that help our aerospace customers to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and support a significantly more sustainable operation,” said AkzoNobel automotive and specialty coatings director Patrick Bourguignon of the group’s strategy of investing in best-in-class drone and robotic technologies.

For its part, Donecle believes the successful closing of its second fundraising round reflects its maturing as a tech developer and service provide, and its increasing value to both clients and investors alike.

“We are very pleased to announce the completion of this funding round, which testifies to the trust that our customers, partners, and investors all place in us,” said Donecle CEO Matthieu Claybrough. “We’re also thrilled to be able to count on players who share our vision and are working with us to make it a reality. By investing in our future, AkzoNobel is helping us ramp up our inspection capabilities and scale them in their respective markets.”

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