US–Ukrainian defense tech startup Vermeer has completed a Series A funding round, raising $10 million. The round was led by Draper Associates, with participation from AeroX Ventures, Boscolo Intervest, High Point Ventures, Rockaway Ventures, and U.S. Air Force Techstars. The funds will be directed toward further technological development and meeting the growing needs of the company’s clients.
Headquartered in New York with an operational unit in Kyiv, Vermeer specializes in computer vision, navigation, and autonomy technologies for unmanned aerial systems. The company’s core product — the Visual Positioning System (VPS) — enables drones and other aerial vehicles to navigate accurately even under conditions of complete GPS denial or spoofing. Instead of satellite signals, VPS relies on up to four electro-optical or infrared cameras that compare visual data with object databases and maps, using artificial intelligence to determine precise positioning. Its passive operation principle makes the system particularly reliable in combat environments.
Over the past year, the company has expanded its team from 10 to 40 employees, including eight based in Ukraine. Vermeer currently serves more than 30 clients, including the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, and has recently gained international recognition for its solutions enabling safe and precise drone navigation.
