HyLight Raises €13 Mn to Expand Hydrogen-Powered Inspection Airships

The funding round included three new investors: Rubio Impact Ventures, DRW and Teampact Ventures. Existing investors Y Combinator and Ring Capital also took part. After raising €3.7 million in a seed round in 2024, HyLight has secured around €16.7 million in total funding.

Helmer Schukken, managing partner at Rubio Impact Ventures, said: “Today, powerlines, pipelines and railways are still inspected by helicopter, which is expensive, unsafe, polluting and — as workforces age — insufficiently available. HyLight offers a clean and scalable alternative that does the same work reliably, even over densely populated areas, and has the potential to deliver unrivaled cost savings.”

HyLight will use the new funding to expand its airship fleet, hire around 50 employees and improve its software and data platform. The company also plans to invest in AI and automation to make infrastructure inspections quicker and easier.

The startup currently operates four airships and plans to increase its fleet to 15 aircraft. This will help it inspect more infrastructure and serve more customers.

HyLight also plans to expand into new European markets, starting with countries such as Germany and the Netherlands.

Founded in 2021, HyLight builds self-flying airships that inspect long stretches of infrastructure, including power lines and pipelines. Its aircraft, called the HyLighter, is around 12 metres long.

The airship uses helium to stay in the air and a hydrogen fuel cell to power its electric motors. This allows it to fly for long periods while carrying out inspection work.

Each aircraft can carry different types of equipment, including high-resolution cameras, LiDAR sensors and methane detectors. These tools help the company collect detailed information and identify potential problems in infrastructure.

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