• Uvionix Raised USD 3.5M in Seed funding to develop AI-powered drone solutions for warehouse management
• The startup’s U-Vee autonomous drones provide real-time inventory monitoring with 99.9% accuracy, optimizing warehouse operations
• Warehouse management automation with AI drones eliminate manual stock checks, reducing error and cutting logistics costs
• With the new funding, Uvionix primarily will launch its product launch, with eyes on expanding into RFID, manufacturing, and retail industries in the future

This February, California-based AI avionics startup Uvionix with Bulgarian roots raised USD 3.5 of Seed investment. The well-known Bulgarian fund LAUNCHub Ventures (invested in Giraffe360, among others) led the round, and other participants included the proactive Romanian fund Underline Ventures (invested in MixRift, for example), the famous Hungarian PortfoLion (invested in SEON), and the German Robin Capital.

Uvionix’ CEO Boris Iskrev is a serial entrepreneur with 10 years of experience scaling companies and working on small aircraft systems. His partner Dr Stanislav Darmonski is the startup’s CTO, holds a PhD degree in autonomous robotics, and designs intelligent machines.

Human Error, Frustration, and the Robotic Response

‘Our company was born out of frustration. Warehouses still rely on manual inventory checks, despite advancements in AI and robotics. That made no sense. Together, we’ve built autonomous aerial systems, and one question kept nagging us: Why isn’t inventory tracking itself?’ Mr Iskrev recalls.

‘For years, drones were either military tools or expensive toys. But the reality? They’re perfect for solving real-world, painfully inefficient problems—like warehouse inventory, supply chain tracking, and logistics visibility. Uvionix is built around the idea that drones aren’t a luxury or a gimmick—they’re a necessity,’ he continues.

PortfoLion’s principal Daniel Kiss-Király agrees that the adoption of warehouse robotics has reached a critical inflection point. In response to the e-commerce boom of the past decade, warehouses increased capacity and operations. As a result, warehouses are now managing record product flows, making accuracy and efficiency more crucial than ever. To cut through this complexity, modernization through automated and autonomous solutions becomes essential. The PortfoLion team is reassured that Uvionix, with their deep expertise in drone technology, are uniquely positioned to guide warehouses into the future.

The founders saw firsthand how the logistics industry loses billions due to misplaced stock and inefficiencies. This is because warehouses still count inventory by hand via cycle counting and periodic physical inventory checks. This process is slow and apparently prone to human error.

‘Uvionix is solving a major pain point in warehouse operations leading to trillions of dollars in annual losses,’ LAUNCHub Ventures’ principal Raya Yunakova confirms. She firmly believes Uvionix’s AI-driven approach is setting a new industry standard and their technology has the potential to redefine supply chain efficiency.

AI Drones for 99.99% Accurate Warehouse Inventory

Fully convinced that AI and robotics could fix it, Uvionix replaces manual labor with drones that fly around, scan inventory, and update data in real time with almost 100% accuracy and no human intervention required. This way, warehouses don’t have to search for inventory; instead just know where it is at all times.

‘Think of it like Google Maps for your warehouse. Instead of searching for a misplaced pallet, you just check a live dashboard, and boom—it’s there. On top of that, you always know precisely how much inventory you have for each item, what the latest material movements were, how accurately they were executed, and what the team’s efficiency is,’ the CEO explains.

Specifically, Uvionix developed U-Vee, a compact autonomous flying robot designed for seamless warehouse navigation. Its Autonomous Inventory Management system leverages AI and deep learning to enable real-time inventory monitoring with 99.9% accuracy. By creating live digital twins of warehouse spaces, U-Vee eliminates manual stock checks, reduces errors, cuts costs, and optimizes logistics efficiency—transforming warehouse operations through advanced automation and intelligent inventory management.

Mr Iskrev assures that all components of the system were developed in-house, including the robotics hardware, electronics, embedded software, and cloud reporting system. This includes AI and machine learning used for a number of tasks, starting with navigation and orientation and extending to full environmental awareness, item recognition, and detection.

‘Logistics and warehousing are adopting new technology at a fast pace, due to AI developments, workforce shortages, and the continuous need for optimization. The Uvionix team can address these challenges by leveraging its entrepreneurial, and technical experience, and building a best-in-class product for its category,’ Underline Ventures’ general partner Bogdan Iordache is convinced.

Building Smart Supply Chain

The recent investment is a pivotal step toward realizing Uvionix’s vision of making supply chain management smarter, faster, and more transparent. Reportedly, the new funding will allow Uvionix to accelerate its product release. The team anticipates the first pilots to start later this year, with full system deployment to follow soon after. Uvionix already partnered with key market players in several different verticals to showcase what U-Vee and Autonomous Inventory Management.

‘Right now, we’re laser-focused on warehouses and visual-only inspections, but this is just the beginning. We’re already looking at expanding into RFID and serving manufacturing and retail facilities as well,’ Mr Iskrev adds.

It is apparent how greatly automating warehouse management with AI drones enhances operational efficiency by reducing manual error and improving inventory accuracy. Drones like Uvionix’s U-Vee streamline logistics processes, cutting costs while boosting real-time monitoring and decision-making. As automation continues to evolve, AI-powered drones are poised to play a crucial role in transforming warehouse operations, making them more efficient, accurate, and cost-effective.