Sunflower Labs raises $16M to scale autonomous security drones
Autonomous security drone company Sunflower Labs has secured a $16 million Series B round and a broad federal green light for beyond visual line of sight operations (BVLOS), tightening the link between robotics, AI, and perimeter security across large sites.
The $16 million Series B round is led by Sequoia Capital, with participation from Alarm.com, DRONE FUND, Gentian Investments, Wakestream Ventures, Atlas Ventures, and Daybreak Ventures. Sunflower Labs plans to use the capital for AI development and to expand into the United States, Europe and Latin America.
The San Francisco based firm said it has received nationwide FAA authorization for BVLOS operations of its Beehive drone system across 99% of the United States. The waiver allows flights over people and vehicles and in low visibility conditions without site by site exemptions, under a performance based Certificate of Waiver or Authorization that aligns with the FAA’s proposed Part 108 rules.
“Through extensive collaboration with the FAA, we’ve secured authorizations that let us operate safely and legally across nearly every location in the United States,” said Alex Pachikov, co founder and CEO of Sunflower Labs. “Our customers can deploy the Beehive with confidence that they’re ahead of the curve in both safety and compliance.”
Beyond visual line of sight matters because it turns drones from short range systems into real security infrastructure and reducing the need for a pilot to always be within sight of the device. With BVLOS approval, a system like Sunflower’s can cover whole perimeters, long fence lines, and remote corners of a site instead of only the few hundred meters a human can see. It means one operator in a control room can supervise multiple aircraft instead of sending guards outside to watch a single drone. It also lets drones respond automatically to alarms at night, in bad weather, and over people and vehicles. For defence and critical infrastructure users that live with tight budgets and high risk, BVLOS is what makes autonomous patrols practical, scalable, and worth the integration effort.
The Beehive system combines AI, sensor fusion, and autonomous flight to provide patrols, object tracking and risk detection for residential, commercial, and industrial properties. The company says the platform can detect fires or intrusions, maintain line of sight in difficult conditions, and apply privacy filters that blur sensitive areas while keeping situational awareness. While focused mostly on security, these devices can be expanded into defence and are now ready to tackle the tough problem of one-pilot-one-drone in real tactical situations.