Resources

This article was first published as a press release on 8 April 2026.

We have some big news to share.

AirHub has closed a €4.4 million Series A funding round, backed by Keen Venture Partners, Runway FBU, Lumaux and LUMO Labs. This is a significant milestone for our team, and a major step forward in what we have been building since day one: software that helps organisations execute drone missions in the most demanding operational environments in the world.

What AirHub does

AirHub builds software that helps organisations plan, execute and manage drone missions in complex operational environments. Our core product, the AirHub Drone Operations Center, gives teams a single platform to prepare missions, operate drones during incidents, monitor live video streams for command oversight, and manage workflows, compliance and reporting. This enables drones to be embedded into day-to-day operations rather than being used as standalone tools.

Why now

Drones are rapidly becoming part of the operational backbone of security, defence and critical infrastructure. Already proven in modern warfare, policing, border protection and infrastructure security, they are driving growing demand for software that enables missions to be planned, executed and coordinated securely, at scale and with full operational control.

In Europe, that demand is closely tied to the need for sovereignty. Organisations increasingly require trusted technology that not only supports operational deployment, but also ensures control over data, workflows and critical systems. As a European company, AirHub is building that capability, helping strengthen Europe's independence, resilience and data sovereignty in mission-critical drone operations.

Trusted in the field

AirHub already has strong traction in these environments. Our software is used by organisations including Dubai Police, Portuguese Bombeiros, the Belgian Federal Police, Prosegur, Securitas, Dutch Customs, Shell, Boskalis and ProRail. These teams use AirHub for applications such as Drone as First Responder, incident response, infrastructure inspection, security monitoring and operational coordination.

What we are building next

The funding will be used to scale our international team, further strengthen the AirHub Drone Operations Center, and expand our portfolio with two new products.

MilHub is focused on defence-related operational environments. SecHub is designed for broader security operations and includes a strong counter-drone proposition for organisations that need to detect, manage and respond to drone-related threats.

The right partners for this next phase

The investor group is a strong fit for this chapter. Keen Venture Partners brings experience in European defence, security and dual-use technology. Runway FBU, backed by the Aker Group, brings a strong network in critical infrastructure, industrial environments and robotics implementation. Existing investors Lumaux and LUMO Labs continue to support our growth.

Thomas Brinkman, co-CEO and co-Founder of AirHub: "This funding helps us accelerate AirHub's growth as a European software company serving organisations that operate in high-stakes environments. We see a clear need for trusted software that helps teams execute drone missions securely, effectively and at scale, while strengthening Europe's ability to rely on its own technology in critical operations."

Stephan van Vuren, co-CEO and co-Founder of AirHub: "The organisations we work with are dealing with real incidents, real threats, real pressure. They need software that works when it matters most. That is what drives everything we build."

What comes next

We are expanding our team, accelerating product development, and actively engaging with partners and operators across Europe and beyond. If you want to see what AirHub can do for your organisation, we would love to show you.

Book a demo with one our experts.

Last week, a new report landed that I keep thinking about. IQAir analysed air quality data from 9,446 cities across 143 countries. Their conclusion: only 13 countries in the world currently breathe air that meets World Health Organisation (WHO) safety guidelines. In Europe, that's just three: Andorra, Estonia, and Iceland.

91 per cent of countries fell short. And the situation is getting worse, not better.

The report points to one of the fastest-growing contributors to poor air quality: wildfire smoke. 2025 was the worst wildfire year on EU record. Blazes swept across Europe through the summer, destroying farms, woodlands, and homes. The world's 25 most polluted cities were all located in India, Pakistan, and China. And across the globe, extreme weather caused at least €43 billion in short-term economic losses.

I've seen this up close.

We've been working with Bombeiros Portugal, Portugal's national fire brigade, for several years now. Portugal consistently faces some of the most destructive wildfire seasons in Europe. The Bombeiros operate under enormous pressure: vast terrain, fast-moving fires, limited situational awareness, and crews on the ground who need accurate information immediately.

That's exactly where drone technology changes the equation.

With drones deployed as part of a coordinated aerial response, fire commanders gain real-time visibility of fire fronts, wind behaviour, and areas at risk. Crews can be positioned more accurately. Evacuations can be triggered faster. Decisions that used to be made on incomplete information are now made with a live operational picture overhead.

The Bombeiros are already doing this.

The link between wildfires and air quality is direct. Fine particulate matter from smoke, known as PM2.5, is one of the most harmful pollutants we know of. Particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres travel deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. They're linked to respiratory disease, cardiovascular conditions, and long-term illness. When a major wildfire burns for days, the effects on air quality extend hundreds of kilometres beyond the fire itself.

Containing fires faster isn't just an operational win. It's a public health intervention.

At AirHub, we build the software that makes drone operations structured, compliant, and scalable. Whether that's a single drone team supporting a local fire brigade or a national Drone as a First Responder (DFR) programme, the underlying need is the same: reliable coordination, clear data, and the ability to act quickly when conditions change.

The IQAir report is a reminder that air quality is a safety issue. One that gets worse every time a major wildfire goes uncontrolled for too long.

The technology to respond more effectively already exists. What it needs is the infrastructure to deploy it at scale.

That's the work we're doing, together with teams like the Bombeiros, every year.

Thomas Brinkman is co-founder and co-CEO of AirHub, drone operations software for public safety, critical infrastructure, and security organisations worldwide.

Want to learn how AirHub supports aerial first response operations? Book a demo.

AirHub has announced a strategic partnership with Joost Tuinman of Gardener Consultancy. Joost brings 27 years of experience as an officer in the Dutch Army, including senior roles at the Korps Commandotroepen (KCT) and SOCOM (the headquarters for special operations), followed by years at the Ministry of Defence in The Hague. Today he operates at the intersection of defence, security, industry, and innovation. We spoke with him about the market, the role of technology, and what this partnership means for the future of AirHub.

A career built at the intersection of strategy and operations

After nearly three decades in the military, Joost made the transition to the private sector about a year ago. Through Gardener Consultancy, he now supports organisations and leaders in making sharp strategic choices and turning them into real results.

"My approach is what I call 'from strategy to tactics'," he explains. "It is not just about thinking, but about doing. Actually building capabilities, services, and products."

His focus areas include unmanned systems, sensor-to-shooter chains, data-driven operations, and public-private collaboration. "My role is often that of a connector and accelerator: making sure government, industry, and technology find each other and arrive at concrete solutions, with real momentum in decision-making."

From experimentation to operationalisation

The drone sector is changing fast, and Joost sees a clear shift in how security organisations are approaching the technology.

"What you see is a move from experimenting to operationalising. Drones are no longer an innovation project. They are becoming an essential part of operational deployment, business operations, and intelligence gathering."

Conflicts like the one in Ukraine have sharpened that awareness considerably, he says. "They make it painfully clear that speed, scale, mass, and technology working together are decisive. Drones play a key role in that."

But technology on its own is not enough. "The real insight is that technology only works when it is integrated, not just technically, but also organisationally and doctrinally, and compatible with other systems and platforms. Organisations that get that right have a strategic advantage."

Why AirHub and Gardener Consultancy are a natural fit

The partnership between AirHub and Gardener Consultancy grew out of a shared understanding of where the market is heading.

"AirHub has built a platform that directly addresses the need to integrate control, compliance, and scalability of drone operations into daily practice," Joost says. "And it also serves as a planning tool for future operations, which is often overlooked."

What makes the collaboration work, according to Joost, is the complementarity between the two parties. "AirHub brings a strong technological foundation. I bring the context of defence, security, and decision-making. Together we make sure technology is not just functional, but actually applied where it matters."

The biggest opportunities: Europe and strategic autonomy

Looking at the market, Joost sees significant potential for AirHub both in the Netherlands and internationally.

"Within the Netherlands, there are opportunities to further professionalise drone deployment within defence and security services. Internationally, and initially within Europe, I see the same possibilities, but with an additional dimension: strategic autonomy."

Organisations are increasingly looking for European solutions that are reliable, secure, and interoperable. "That is where AirHub can position itself strongly."

His broader vision goes further. "The real growth lies in developing AirHub as part of a wider drone ecosystem in which data, sensors, and command and control come together. Not as a standalone application, but as a valuable platform within an operational system."

Bridging the gap between public and private

One of the recurring challenges in the security sector is the collaboration between public authorities and private technology companies. Joost knows the terrain well.

"Public-private collaboration is essential, but in practice it is often complex, slow, and bureaucratic. The public sector operates from compliance and risk management, while the private sector brings speed, innovation, and decisiveness. Those two worlds need to find each other, and that does not happen automatically."

A significant part of his work involves bridging that gap, which is sometimes referred to as the Valley of Death. "Making sure collaboration becomes concrete, with clear goals, governance, and mutual understanding. Only then can you bring technology to operations much faster and more effectively. And ultimately, that is what it is all about."

Software as the critical layer

When it comes to why drone software specifically is so relevant to the challenges security organisations face today, Joost is direct.

"The real value of the AirHub platform is not in the flying itself. It is in the ability to plan, direct, and understand operations, in real time and at scale."

Software, he argues, is the critical layer that brings planning, execution, monitoring, and analysis together in one integrated environment. "That creates overview and control over operations that are becoming increasingly complex."

Scalability is another key factor. "Defence and security organisations are no longer working with a single drone. They are working with multiple systems simultaneously, often in dynamic and high-risk environments around the world. Without robust software, that becomes uncontrollable."

"The strength lies in bringing planning, execution, data processing, and management together in one system. Then drone deployment is no longer a standalone activity, but an integral part of operational conduct."

Want to see how AirHub supports operational drone deployments for defence and security organisations? Book a demo with one of our experts.