Switzerland's TOP drone startups 2020

15.10.2020 08:55, Isabelle Mitchell

The TOP 100 Swiss Startup Award ranking has become a benchmark in Switzerland’s startup ecosystem. To make sure the startups get all the attention they deserve, we will feature the top startups in each vertical. Switzerland’s TOP drone startups 2020 develop innovative technologies that improve efficiency, safety, and sustainability.

Every year, the 100 most innovative and promising Swiss startups are picked by a panel of 100 leading investors and startup experts. Each jury member nominates 10 Swiss startups that are less than five years old and show the greatest commercial potential. The first-placed company gets 10 points, the second 9, and so on. All these individual rankings are compiled to generate the final TOP 100 Swiss Startup Award ranking, which recognizes the startups that have most impressed all 100 jury members. In the coming weeks, we will look at the top startups in each vertical.



1. Wingtra
Wingtra is an ETH spin-off that develops vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) mapping drones with high-resolution cameras for surveying applications. The drones of the Zurich-based startup are used in over 70 countries on all continents and result in survey times up to 80% faster than ground methods or quadcopter drones. Industries such as mining, construction, research, agriculture, urban, and spatial planning benefit from the powerful surveying robots to measure and evaluate large areas. 

2. Gamaya
Gamaya, an EPFL spin-off, improves the efficiency and sustainability of farming businesses by offering agronomy solutions that are enabled by hyperspectral imaging and artificial intelligence. By mapping and diagnosing farmland, Gamaya’s self-learning technology helps farmers use water, fertilizers, chemicals and fuel more efficiently, improves the quality and quantity of their production, minimizes the impact on the environment, and reduces risks associated with drought, extreme weather conditions, and climate change.

3. Involi
Involi specializes in the safe integration of drones into air traffic. The startup in western Switzerland has already set up a surveillance network for low-flying aircraft and objects throughout Switzerland, and this year launched KIVU, a drone tracker weighing just 22 grams—a “license plate” for drones. Involi is involved in several key projects, including the Swiss platform for fully digitized airspace management—Swiss U-Space Implementation (SUSI).
 

The best drone startup according to the TOP 100 Public Vote

The TOP 100 Public Vote runs parallel to the expert jury ranking and allows the public—everyone with a LinkedIn account can cast one vote—to choose the most promising startup.

Drone winner Public Vote: Voliro
Voliro’s autonomous flight robot is equipped with six rotors and interacts with the environment. The hexacopter takes over non-destructive infrastructure inspection—it cleans building façades, walls, and windows, and paints and coats surfaces, even at great heights. The ETH spin-off recently raised CHF 2 million to accelerate the development of its industrial-grade flying inspection robots.