Donecle Raises $10.7M for Drone Plane Inspections

Jan de Vries · 2026-04-15

A French startup just landed a massive cash injection to make aircraft inspections faster, safer, and way more high-tech. Let's break down what this means for the industry. ### The Big News: A $10.7 Million Bet on Drone Inspections Donecle, a company based in Toulouse, France, just announced a new funding round worth about $10.7 million (€10 million). They specialize in using autonomous drones and artificial intelligence to inspect aircraft. The money will fuel their expansion, especially in Europe and the United States. The round was led by IRDI Capital Investissement and SWEN Capital Partners, with help from GSO Innovation and ARIS Occitanie. Matthieu Claybrough, co-founder and CEO of Donecle, shared his excitement: "This new round of funding will give us the resources to scale up internationally and further confirm our market leading position by developing our technology and use of artificial intelligence." ### Why This Matters for Aviation Maintenance Right now, most aircraft inspections are done manually. That means workers crawling over planes, looking for cracks, dents, or other issues. It's slow, expensive, and sometimes dangerous. Donecle's system changes that. Their drones can inspect an entire aircraft in a fraction of the time. We're talking up to 10 times faster than manual methods. That's a huge win for airlines, which lose money every minute a plane sits on the ground. Here's what the system brings to the table: - **Speed**: Inspections that used to take hours now take minutes - **Safety**: Technicians don't have to work at dangerous heights - **Accuracy**: High-resolution cameras and AI catch things human eyes might miss - **Traceability**: Every inspection is recorded and can be reviewed later ### The Bigger Picture: A $53 Million Trend Donecle isn't alone in this space. When you look at other drone inspection companies raising money in 2025-2026, a clear trend emerges: - Voliro (Zurich) raised $21.2 million for autonomous inspection robots - Energy Robotics (Darmstadt) secured $12.3 million for drone inspection software - Rift (Paris) raised $4.9 million for on-demand drone networks - AirHub (Groningen) raised $4.7 million for mission-critical drone software Combined with Donecle's round, that's over $53 million flowing into automated inspection tech. Investors clearly believe this is the future. ### How It Works: Drones Meet AI Founded in 2015, Donecle has developed a patented system that combines three key elements: 1. **Autonomous drones** that fly pre-programmed routes around aircraft 2. **High-resolution cameras** that capture every inch of the plane's surface 3. **Advanced AI** that analyzes the images for damage or wear The company mainly serves commercial airlines, but also works with business and military aviation. ### Beyond Inspections: The Software Layer Here's where it gets really interesting. Donecle isn't just about taking pictures. They're building a software platform that turns all that data into actionable insights. Over time, this data can be integrated into MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) systems. That means airlines get better long-term monitoring of their fleets. Eventually, the system could even automate certain maintenance decisions, positioning Donecle as a predictive maintenance platform. Benjamin Lillo, Investment Director at IRDI Capital Investissement, explained their thinking: "We are convinced that the digitalisation of maintenance operations has become essential in a context where skilled labour is becoming increasingly scarce." ### The Green Angle: Saving Thousands of Tons of CO2 There's also an environmental benefit. Traditional inspections often use diesel-powered aerial work platforms to lift technicians up to the aircraft. Donecle's drones replace those, cutting emissions significantly. The company estimates its drone fleet has already saved several thousand tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Plus, faster inspections mean planes spend less time in hangars, which reduces energy use and the need for spare aircraft. ### What's Next for Donecle? With this fresh capital, Donecle plans to accelerate its growth in the US market and expand its technology. The goal is clear: become the go-to solution for aircraft inspections worldwide. As Claybrough put it, the new investors "have deep understanding of our market position and will provide tailored support alongside capital to help us in our next phase of growth." For airlines looking to cut costs, improve safety, and reduce downtime, Donecle's technology couldn't come at a better time. The days of manual plane inspections might be numbered.