Estonia-based Lendurai raises €5.5M to enable UAVs to operate without sat nav or remote control

Tallinn-based Lendurai, a dual-use technology startup working on defence and autonomous UAV solutions for GPS- and radio-denied environments, has raised €5.57M in seed funding. 

The round was led by Expeditions Fund, with participation from HCVC and Vsquared Ventures.

Mikolaj Firlej, co-founder and General Partner of Expeditions Fund, says, “There are many drone providers, but only a few companies offer truly unique capabilities. Often, end-users must choose between cost efficiency and high performance. Lendurai stands apart by delivering advanced computer vision for GNSS-denied environments at a fraction of the market price.” 

“The team brings deep technical expertise, a strong understanding of end-user needs, and a rapid product development cycle. We’re excited to support Lendurai’s go-to-market strategies and global expansion.”

Alexandre Flamant, Partner at HCVC, adds, “Europe can’t wait for help. Lendurai delivers the autonomy layer our drones desperately need—cost-efficient, GPS-free, and sovereign by design.”

Enabling UAVs to operate without satellite navigation

Lendurai was founded by Siim Maivel, Mark Cowan, and Sergii Kharagorgiiev, who have experience at Bolt, Open Cosmos, and Starship Technologies. The team focuses on AI, autonomy, and hardware designed for commercial use.

The company develops on-board systems for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) navigation without GPS. Its technology uses AI and autonomy to support UAV operations. The systems are built to meet mission needs while managing costs. NATO and allied forces are expected to use the platform for GPS-independent missions.

Its approach reduces cost by scaling technology with mission needs and using widely produced hardware. Lendurai’s dual-use platform supports interchangeable payloads and is designed for varied operational conditions. 

NATO and allied forces are expected to adopt the system for missions that do not rely on GPS. The autonomy stack runs entirely on-board, enabling UAVs to operate independently during missions.

First-Person View (FPV) drones may be chosen for their low purchase price, but their operation often demands significant resources, including four field operators and a support team of eight for setup and maintenance. 

Despite this, as many as 70 per cent of these UAVs can fail during missions because of radio interference. Lendurai’s autonomous systems reduce overall ownership costs and remain functional in areas where standard systems are disrupted by signal loss.

Co-founder and CEO, Siim Maivel, says, “European defence can’t wait. At Lendurai, we’re building high-performance autonomous solutions that are reliable, scalable, and combat-proven. Our on-board autonomy enhances every drone’s capabilities, enabling them to think faster, react smarter, and deliver reliable effects—even in the most challenging electronic warfare environments.”

With electronic warfare such as GPS jamming common, many sectors need drones that can operate independently. Lendurai builds UAVs designed for these conditions and has tested them in difficult environments, including conflict zones. 

Their drones need under two days of operator training, unlike FPV drones that require weeks. Produced in Estonia with European parts, Lendurai’s drones meet security requirements and are available for military use, with commercial options planned.

Brief about the investors

Founded in 2021, Expeditions Fund is an early-stage investment firm focused on security in Europe. With offices in Warsaw, London, and Paris, the fund invests in deeptech and dual-use companies working in defence, autonomy, AI, quantum, privacy, communication, space, and cybersecurity.

Founded in 2015, HCVC is an early-stage venture capital firm that supports founders working to advance scientific and technological development.

Vsquared Ventures supports entrepreneurs developing technologies in areas such as new space, computing, energy transition, robotics, sensing, AI, software, and tech-bio. The firm invests in deeptech companies and has built a portfolio that includes Isar Aerospace, IQM Quantum Computing, Zama.ai, Neura Robotics, Cylib, and The Exploration Company.