Paris based deeptech startup Rift has secured fresh backing to accelerate its vision of a real time, on demand aerial intelligence network for sensitive and strategic sites. The company is developing a distributed fleet of autonomous drones, coordinated from a single remote command center in France, to provide continuous monitoring of borders, coasts, forests, and critical infrastructure. With this funding, Rift aims to industrialize its platform and position itself as a core layer of European security and resilience infrastructure.
Rising demand for real time aerial intelligence
Geopolitical tensions, climate driven disasters, and growing pressure on borders are exposing the limits of traditional aerial surveillance. Helicopter missions can cost more than €3,000 per flight hour, require pilots and support crews, and cannot deliver continuous coverage at scale, which creates blind spots and slower responses to emerging threats. Authorities and operators are increasingly seeking persistent, automated monitoring that can be deployed quickly, scaled flexibly, and operated without constant human presence in the field.
Rift’s autonomous drone network
Rift is responding with a sovereign European network built on long endurance VTOL drones, autonomous deployment stations, and the proprietary RiftOS software platform. The system is designed so that piloting and supervision are centralized at a single site, which significantly cuts operational costs and simplifies large scale deployment across wide territories. By combining real time data capture, automated routing, and remote control, Rift aims to fill the gap between slow satellite imagery and limited ground patrols.
Surveillance as a service business model and use cases
Instead of selling hardware, Rift delivers its capabilities through a “Surveillance as a Service” model that removes capital expenditure for customers. Ministries, infrastructure operators, and industrial groups can subscribe to continuous aerial monitoring while retaining full sovereignty and control over the data that is collected within European borders. The platform targets missions such as early wildfire detection, monitoring highway incidents, tracking illegal border crossings, and inspecting pipelines, power lines, and railway corridors for leaks, damage, or intrusions.
Funding round, investors, and regulatory positioning
Rift has raised a total of €4.6 million, including €3 million in equity from United States based AlleyCorp and France based OVNI Capital, as well as €1.6 million in public support from the France 2030 program and Bpifrance. This capital will be used to scale production of autonomous drone stations with industrial manufacturing processes suited to large volume, cost efficient deployment. Through proprietary detection technology and collaboration with France’s DGAC and European regulators, the company is also building a favorable regulatory framework for long range operations and beyond visual line of sight flights.
Founders, competitive landscape, and growth roadmap
Founded in 2023 by Daniel Nef and Dorian Millière, Rift is positioning its service as a fully autonomous, European first aerial intelligence infrastructure dedicated to protecting territories and populations. Nef brings more than a decade of product management and technology leadership experience, including at OpenClassrooms, and the team is framing its offer as a seamless, scalable alternative to emerging players such as Alta Ares and Harmattan AI. The startup plans to double its workforce by 2026 across R&D, data science, certification, and manufacturing as it rolls out pilot projects with government and industrial partners.
With a combination of autonomous drones, remote operations, and a subscription model, Rift is betting that aerial intelligence can shift from occasional missions to always on infrastructure. The new funding and public backing give the company resources to industrialize its stations, expand its network across Europe, and work toward fully automated mission cycles by 2027. If it can maintain regulatory momentum and prove its economics against helicopters and legacy systems, Rift could become a key player in how Europe monitors and protects its most critical assets.