Skyqraft, a startup using AI and drones for electricity power-line inspection, raises $505K – TechCrunch

Skyqraft, a Swedish startup using AI and drones for electricity power-line inspection, has picked up $505,000 in early backing. Leading the round is "startup generator" and investor Antler, with participation from a number of angels including Claes Ekström and Tomas Kåberger. Founded in March 2019 and launched that September, Skyqraft provides what it calls "smart" infrastructure inspections for power-lines. It uses unmanned airplanes, combined with AI, to gather images and detect risk automatically. This is in contrast to the status quo, where power-lines are typically inspected by teams of people and helicopters, which isn't idea on a number of fronts. "Power-line inspections most importantly are not environmentally friendly, very costly and unsafe with the use of helicopters and people," Skyqraft co-founder and CMO Sakina Turabali tells TechCrunch.