FLIR Systems acquired Aeryon Labs, a developer of unmanned aerial systems for the military, public safety and critical infrastructure markets, for $200 million.
Aeryon’s vertical takeoff and landing quad-copter airframes integrate sensors, including FLIR thermal technology, to provide immediate high-resolution intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
Based in Waterloo, Ontario, and with offices in Denver and Salt Lake City, Aeryon Labs was founded in 2007 and manufactures mission-focused Group 1 unmanned aerial systems built around aircraft weighing less than 20 pounds.
Aeryon’s systems are deployed by 20 militaries in more than 30 countries, including the U.S. Department of Defense.
“The acquisition of Aeryon Labs reinforces our long-term strategy to move beyond providing sensors to the development of complete solutions that save lives and livelihoods,” said FLIR Systems president and CEO Jim Cannon in a statement.
“This acquisition, coupled with our acquisition of Prox Dynamics in 2016, greatly increases our unmanned systems solutions capabilities, expanding beyond nano-UAS into Group 1 UAS solutions for military,” Cannon said. “We intend to continue to invest and build this area of our business and broaden our capabilities, as we view unmanned and autonomous solutions to be a significant opportunity for organic growth in the coming years.”
