South African Startup Cloudline Raises USD 6 M Funding

South African aerospace startup Cloudline has secured USD 6 M in funding as it aims to lead the global frontier of carbon emissions-free autonomous flight. Schmidt Futures, the philanthropic venture founded by ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt and Wendy Schmidt, is an investor in the seed round. Other backers include pan-African funds such as the Raba Partnership, Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures, 4Di and other venture firms. 

Cloudline has identified specific areas where its application, offering long-distance real-time data or extended flight times for large regions, addresses critical needs. The startup has created autonomous airships that provide a cost-efficient alternative to drones, helicopters and satellites, bringing real-time data capture to locations that are the hardest to reach and the most expensive to serve. Cloudline claims  its airships can cover more than 400 km (250 miles) with a fully loaded payload of 40 kg (90 lbs) and operate for 10 hours, making it ideal for various applications, including mapping, monitoring and public safety.