HyLight raises €13M to scale autonomous airship infrastructure inspections

French startup HyLight has raised €13 million to industrialize its fleet of autonomous, hydrogen-powered airships designed for critical infrastructure inspection. The funding, provided by Rubio Impact Ventures, DRW, and Teampact Ventures, alongside existing investors Y Combinator and Ring Capital, aims to scale the company’s operations and data analysis capabilities.

HyLight’s airships, known as HyLighters, are designed to replace traditional helicopter missions for inspecting power lines and other networks. The 12-meter vessels carry up to 10 kg of sensors, including LiDAR, cameras, and methane detectors, to identify over 50 types of defects such as damaged insulators or vegetation encroachment. The company has already completed over 750 flight hours and inspected thousands of kilometers across Europe.

Currently operating four aircraft, HyLight aims to have 15 HyLighters in simultaneous operation by 2027. The company plans to use the new capital to expand its fleet, strengthen its automated data processing infrastructure, and hire approximately 50 new employees across engineering, AI, operations, and development. Major existing clients include Enedis, NaTran, Teréga, SNCF Réseau, and VINCI.