Moya Aero gets $2m to build drone ground control system

Moya Aero has been awarded a $2m grant to develop a portable ground control system for high-capacity drones by the Brazilian government.

The grant comes directly from FINEP, a Brazilian government organisation that promotes domestic technology innovation. The funding for the portable ground control system forms part of a programme known as Economic Subsidy for Innovation in Continuous Flow—More Innovation Brazil: Urban Mobility.

Moya’s proposal aims to leverage artificial intelligence technology in the design of the ground control system to enable beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations.

Alexandre Zaramela, Moya’s CEO said: “The new system will lighten the operational burden on pilots through automation and is designed to lower pollutant emissions by facilitating the use of hybrid and electric vehicles. Additionally, it will optimise delivery routes using AI, increasing efficiency and safety in simultaneous drone operations. These enhancements promise to make logistics more effective, economical, and sustainable.” 

With autonomous management and route optimisation enabled by AI, a single operator will be able to manage multiple drones, improving delivery processes and extending access. Moya said this advancement will “enhance the delivery” of fractional cargo over medium distances and benefit applications in environmental monitoring, public safety and defence.

Moya will collaborate with UFRJ – Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and UPE – University of Pernambuco to complete the project.