Vermeer, a U.S.-based startup specializing in autonomous drone navigation without reliance on GPS, has secured a $10 million Series A funding round. The investment will accelerate development of its AI-powered visual positioning system (VPS) designed for contested environments where GNSS signals are jammed or spoofed—a growing concern in modern warfare.
Funding Round Led by Conviction with Strategic Defense Backing
The Series A round was led by Conviction VC with participation from existing investors including Scout Ventures and Draper Associates. Notably, the company has also received non-dilutive funding from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), including through the AFWERX program and DARPA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) initiatives.
This funding underscores growing Pentagon interest in resilient navigation solutions as adversaries increasingly deploy electronic warfare (EW) tools capable of degrading or denying GPS access. The Ukraine conflict has illustrated how both sides use GNSS spoofing and jamming to disrupt drone operations—making alternative navigation methods a high priority for NATO militaries.
AI-Based Visual Positioning System Targets Contested Environments
Vermeer’s core technology is an AI-driven visual positioning system that enables drones to navigate using onboard cameras and machine learning algorithms rather than satellite signals. This approach leverages techniques such as simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), computer vision-based terrain recognition, and sensor fusion from inertial measurement units (IMUs).
The system is designed to operate in GPS-denied environments such as urban canyons, dense forests, underground facilities—or battlefields subject to EW attack. Vermeer claims its solution can localize a drone within centimeters using only onboard sensors and pre-mapped or real-time environmental data.
The company’s software stack is hardware-agnostic and can be integrated into existing Group I–III UAVs used by military forces or adapted for commercial platforms.
Dual-Use Strategy with Military First Focus
While Vermeer positions itself as a dual-use company—with potential applications in commercial inspection drones or autonomous delivery—the firm is clearly prioritizing defense customers first. Co-founder Brian Streem told DefenseScoop that the company is “laser-focused on solving problems for the warfighter,” particularly in environments where traditional GNSS-based systems fail.
This aligns with broader DoD strategy under the Replicator initiative and other programs seeking attritable autonomous systems that can function reliably in denied or degraded conditions. Vermeer’s tech could be particularly relevant for small tactical drones used by special operations forces or dismounted units operating beyond line-of-sight communications.
Operational Urgency Driven by EW Threats
The need for alternatives to GPS has grown acute amid widespread use of electronic warfare in conflicts like Ukraine. Russian forces routinely jam or spoof GNSS signals across frontlines; Ukrainian troops have responded with low-cost FPV drones guided via visual cues or inertial systems when GNSS is unavailable.
NATO militaries are now investing heavily in PNT (positioning, navigation & timing) resilience technologies—including chip-scale atomic clocks (CSACs), celestial navigation aids, LIDAR-based mapping systems—and now visual SLAM approaches like Vermeer’s.
- DARPA: Has funded multiple programs under its Assured PNT umbrella targeting resilient nav solutions.
- AFWERX: Supports startups like Vermeer through SBIR/STTR grants focused on rapid prototyping for Air Force needs.
- Army Futures Command: Testing alternative nav methods under Project Convergence exercises.
Next Steps: Field Trials and Platform Integration
With fresh capital secured, Vermeer plans to expand its engineering team and accelerate field testing with military partners. The company aims to demonstrate full autonomy under denied conditions across various operational scenarios—including subterranean missions and urban ISR tasks where GNSS is unreliable.
The startup is also exploring integration partnerships with drone OEMs serving defense markets—potentially embedding its VPS stack into Group I/II UAVs used by U.S. special operations forces or allied militaries under Foreign Military Sales (FMS) channels.
Outlook: A Crowded but Critical Segment
Vermeer enters a competitive but strategically vital domain of assured PNT technologies. Other players include:
- Spectral Sensor Solutions: Offers vision-based SLAM modules tailored for micro-UAVs.
- Cepeda Systems & Software Analysis Inc: Working on AI-enhanced inertial nav systems under Army contracts.
- Synthetaic: Uses synthetic data training sets to enhance object recognition accuracy in denied conditions.
If Vermeer can prove reliable centimeter-level localization without external infrastructure—and do so affordably—it could become a key enabler of next-gen autonomous air systems operating at the tactical edge without satellite dependence.
