Mobility: XSun raises €5.3 million for its innovative solar drone

The scale-up XSun has developed a cutting-edge, autonomous drone. Powered by solar energy, it can fly for 12 hours and achieve many kinds of missions. The company from Atlantic France recently announced a significant funding round and is preparing for mass production.

The SolarXOne is a 2.6 metre long electric aircraft with a wingspan of 4.6 metres. Thanks to lithium-ion batteries and the ultra-thin solar panels, which are placed on its 4 wings in order to generate energy during the flight, it has an autonomy of about 370 miles and 12 hours. 

This innovative and silent drone can fly autonomously and carry out all kinds of missions in various fields: mapping, environmental protection, agro-Tech, fire, search & rescue, security, and the maritime industry. 

The SolarXOne is developed by the company XSun, which was created in 2016 and is based in Guérande (Atlantic France). More than 500 test flights were carried out and the scale-up, which has 25 employees, is now ready for industrialisation.

100 drones per year from 2025

XSun recently completed a fourth funding round and raised €5.3 million from the European Innovation Council Fund, the German investment company Friedrich & Wagner Holding GmbH and the public investment fund Pays de la Loire participations.

The funds will allow XSun to prepare the industrialisation of its production in Guérande. The company is planning to transform its 1,100 sqm workshop into a factory and expects to produce 100 drones per year from 2025. 

XSun is also aiming to work on a new generation of drones and to develop business abroad, starting with Germany, the United Kingdom, and Australia.