HyLight Raises €13M to Replace Inspection Helicopters With Hydrogen Airships

French startup HyLight has raised €13 million to expand its hydrogen-powered airship technology for inspecting power lines, pipelines and railway infrastructure. The round includes Rubio Impact Ventures, DRW and Teampact Ventures, alongside existing backers Y Combinator and Ring Capital.

Founded in 2021 by Martin Bocken and Théo Hoenen, HyLight is developing autonomous airships designed to offer an alternative to conventional helicopter-based inspections. The new funding will support fleet expansion, product development, international growth and investment in AI-powered data analysis.

An alternative to helicopter inspections

Infrastructure operators regularly inspect electricity networks, gas pipelines and railway lines to identify faults, vegetation risks and other potential hazards. Helicopters have traditionally played a role in this work, but they can be expensive to operate and generate significant emissions.

HyLight's approach is to use a 12-metre autonomous airship called the HyLighter. Helium provides lift, while a hydrogen fuel cell powers the electric motors.

The aircraft can carry up to 10 kilograms of inspection equipment, including cameras, LiDAR sensors and methane detectors. It is designed to collect detailed data while flying along infrastructure routes.

According to the company, the aircraft can fly for up to 10 hours and cover approximately 350 kilometres. These capabilities could help inspection teams survey long stretches of infrastructure without relying on conventional helicopter operations for every mission.

Turning inspection data into actionable insights

HyLight is developing more than an aircraft. Its software analyses collected data to identify potential problems and help maintenance teams prioritise their response.

The system can identify vegetation risks and more than 50 types of power-grid defects, according to the company. Rather than requiring operators to review thousands of raw images, the goal is to provide reports showing the location and visual evidence of potential issues.

This approach could help utilities monitor infrastructure more frequently while reducing the manual effort required to analyse inspection results.

The technology also has potential applications in pipeline monitoring. Gas network operator Téréga is testing the HyLighter along a 107-kilometre pipeline section between Cazilhac and Claira to detect methane leaks. The source report says six flights were planned for 2026, subject to regulatory approval.

Major infrastructure operators are testing the technology

HyLight identifies electricity network operator Enedis, railway infrastructure company SNCF Réseau, and pipeline operators NaTran and Téréga among its customers.

The company reports more than 750 flight hours and thousands of kilometres inspected across France and other European markets.

One particularly notable example involves Enedis. The source report says the company plans to conduct inspections across 15,570 kilometres using airships in 2026, compared with a broader helicopter inspection programme covering 120,000 kilometres.

That distinction matters: the figures describe different inspection scopes, not a complete replacement of helicopter operations. Airships currently represent a limited share of the planned inspection programme, leaving significant room for adoption if the technology proves effective at scale.

How HyLight plans to use the €13M

The funding will help HyLight increase its fleet from four aircraft towards a maximum of 15, expand production and strengthen its operations in Europe. Germany and the Netherlands are among its initial expansion targets.

The company also plans to hire approximately 50 people and invest in AI and automation. Over time, it wants to build a data platform that combines inspection results to help infrastructure operators predict risks and plan maintenance before problems escalate.

The investment syndicate brings together investors with interests across climate technology, deep tech and industrial innovation. Rubio Impact Ventures, DRW and Teampact Ventures participated alongside Y Combinator and Ring Capital.

Can airships compete with helicopters at scale?

HyLight operates in a growing field of aerial inspection and autonomous monitoring technologies. Other companies are developing airships, drones and specialised aircraft for infrastructure inspection, giving utilities more options as they modernise their operations.

But replacing established inspection methods will depend on more than reducing emissions. Customers will need consistent performance, regulatory approvals, reliable data and competitive operating costs.

HyLight's next challenge is to move from successful deployments and testing programmes to larger commercial contracts. Expanding its fleet will help only if demand grows alongside production.

The €13 million round gives the company more resources to pursue that goal. Its progress over the coming years will help determine whether hydrogen-powered airships can become a practical part of Europe's infrastructure inspection systems.