26 Drone Companies from Estonia, Finland and Sweden Join IAS Business Academy 

The first batch of the IAS (Innovative Aerial Services) Business Academy has been officially selected. In total, 26 companies were accepted into the one-year cross-border growth programme, representing a strong regional mix: 10 from Estonia, 8 from Sweden, and 8 from Finland.

The IAS Business Academy is designed to support companies operating in the innovative aerial services sector as they scale beyond local markets, navigate regulatory environments, and build international partnerships across the Nordic-Baltic region.

To encourage early collaboration among participants, the programme will begin with an in-person study and networking trip to Sweden on 19–22 January 2026, followed by a similar trip to Finland in February. The Academy’s online programme will also launch in January, starting with a focus on Nordic test areas for innovative aerial services. This session will be open to the wider ecosystem, not only Academy participants.

“Although all selected teams operate in the IAS sector, no two companies are addressing the same challenge,” said Peeter Unt, Senior Project Manager at Sparkup Tartu Science Park. The first batch brings together companies working across different technologies, use cases and markets, and several applicants also highlighted during the selection interviews that they see the Academy as a platform for mutual contribution rather than one-sided support. “That confirmed for us that the programme is responding to a real and shared need in the ecosystem,” Unt added.

“We see clear value in the programme in terms of partnerships, market access and understanding the Nordic IAS landscape,” said Sander Seilenthal, a participant of IAS and a project manager of CAFA Tech. For participating companies, the Academy offers a practical entry point to new markets, regulatory insight and peer exchange through joint events and study trips. “The opportunity to work alongside other teams facing similar challenges makes the programme especially valuable from the very start,” Seilenthal added.

Companies of the 1st batch:

INDE Robotics: innovative aerial autonomy service built on our multi-domain Autonomy OS.

Rescue Drones Finland: dual-use modular drone system, all with the same software and remote controls.

Rakhun Productions: smart data gathering to drive a greener future.

Deep Forestry: a sensor stack that can be mounted onto drones to make them fully autonomous and connected to a multi-modal AI object analysis pipeline.

Skyforest: data collection and Innovative data processing and analysis for the forest industry.

Ajaxon consulting: advanced aerial wildlife monitoring using drones equipped with thermal cameras and AI-based image analysis.

Flaperon: LiDAR-equipped drones with real-time onboard processing. 

SKYCORP Technologies: long endurance multicopter hydrogen drones for first response, critical infrastructure inspection, and security applications.

Gridence: airspace situational awareness software, focused on providing a comprehensive real-time view of air traffic, enhanced with AI-assisted analytics.

CAFA Tech: tethered drones with high voltage DC power and data for ISR UAVs, communication relays, and airborne EW jammers.

Imitera: real-time, multi-user mixed reality environments that allow teams to visualize, simulate, and rehearse aerial missions with unprecedented clarity and collaboration.

BaBayte: collision avoidance for the drones in the air and in space.

Remote Aero: early situational awareness using ultra-light fixed-wing drones.

Synclair Vision : a wide-angle AI camera system that gives any drone advanced situational awareness.

KrattWorks: EW-resilient reconnaissance and strike drones.

LeVanta Maritime: float-and-fly drones on water and snow.

Arctic Ravn: mass production of drone electronics and other components that are solely made in NATO countries.

GPO: auto-homing system of FPV drones, autonomous target detection, and tracking.

HexTech Solutions: platform and sensor infrastructure to monitor aerial traffic. 

Katla Aero: high-performance electric aircrafts.

Waldek Technologies: the world’s first 4D intelligence platform harnessing web-native & drone-based reality capture technology. 

Remanguys: a command and control system that enables operators to securely pilot drone fleets over long distances from remote locations with low latency.

Automaton: small and medium-sized hexacopters.

Fly By Me: professional Data as a Service for industrial inspections, specializing in multi-fleet robotics solutions and building advanced data tools to turn field info into actionable intelligence.

11V8-Elevate: VTOL-cargo drones for dual-use applications, with long range and high payload capacity.

Aufwin Defence Systems: open architecture all-domain system of systems, i.e., battle management systems.