Operational Solutions Limited (OSL), a Reading-based counter drone intelligence company, has received a £3.5m investment from the Business Growth Fund (BGF).
Founded in 2010, OSL has developed a software platform for airports, government agencies, major venues and commercial sites to protect against security risks from unmanned aircraft.
Drones have become widely available, which has led to a surge in security issues posed by the technology. For airports in particular, drone incursions have disrupted and even shut down entire runways – as demonstrated by the chaos caused at Gatwick Airport in 2018 (despite no evidence of a drone being found).
OSL aims to mitigate the security risks associated with drones by offering monitoring services that use AI analytics to detect, classify and track drones.
The company has worked with Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, the Ministry of Defence, Lockheed Martin and more.
“2023 has seen yet another exciting period of growth for OSL. From expanding our team and our technical capabilities, to entering new and exciting markets, the solutions we can offer to organisations is garnering interest and demand from all around the world,” said OSL CEO Mark Legh-Smith.
“As we continue to expand into new markets with unique and complex challenges, we remain committed to continual technological innovation.”
BGF first backed the company in 2021 with an investment of £8m.
“As the drone industry continues to gather pace, the need for comprehensive counter-drone capabilities and accurate situational awareness is growing across multiple end markets,” said Liam Pursall, an investor at BGF.
“Thanks to its leading technologies and expertise, OSL is at the forefront of this exciting new sector and its technology is key to unlocking the much anticipated drone revolution.”