What does Firehawk do?
On its website, Firehawk lists its services as commercial charter, aerial lift, crane, video, powerline and pipeline, infrared mapping, LiDar laser technology, cargo, spraying and search and rescue, but it is probably best known for its firefighting capabilities with its Black Hawk helicopters.
The helicopters are frequently used to battle raging forest fires in California and other places out West.
What s its history?
It was founded in 1973 by Chuck Brainerd, an Army Vietnam vet.
The corporation’s website said he worked for Orlando Helicopters for a time, then purchased his first aircraft from Ray Kroc’s secretary. Kroc was the driving force that launched McDonald’s restaurants into a worldwide business.
Backers included GV (formerly Google Ventures) and First Round Capital.
Founded in 2018 and led by Matthew George, CEO, Merlin Labs Merlin is building a certifiable autonomy system for complex fixed-wing aircraft. The company has demonstrated hundreds of autonomous missions on multiple aircraft types, including complex twin turboprop aircraft. Its autonomy platform is aircraft-agnostic, focuses on on-board autonomy rather than remote piloting and is being integrated into a wide variety of public- and private-sector aircraft.
The company, which until today had been in stealth mode, is also announcing a 55-aircraft partnership with Dynamic Aviation, the owner of the world’s largest private King Air fleet. It has offices in Boston, Los Angeles, Denver, and Auckland, New Zealand as well as a dedicated flight facility at the Mojave Air & Space Port.
Startup Merlin Labs has emerged from stealth mode with a contract from special mission operator Dynamic Aviation to modify 55 Beechcraft King Airs to autonomous operation.
Merlin Labs, an autonomous flight startup based in Boston, is coming out of stealth. The company announced a $25 million funding round and a deal to equip 55 King Air planes with its technology for Dynamic Aviation.
/PRNewswire/ Merlin Labs, the leading developer of autonomous flight technology for fixed-wing aircraft, is disclosing that it has raised $25 million in.