Dronus NEST Autonomous Drone Network

Dronus S.p.A. is an Italian company, founded in 2018 and based in Trieste, that builds NEST, a patented autonomous drone-in-a-box node. It addresses the cost of keeping people on site for drone inspection and monitoring by letting drones operate continuously without operators.

NEST nodes handle take-off, landing and battery recharging, can be mounted on existing poles, walls and towers, and are networked and managed remotely as one infrastructure, with drones handing off between nodes. AI with high-resolution cameras analyses data in real time. Target uses are smart cities, oil and gas, ports and industrial sites, and HTX in Singapore is named as a deployment.

• NEST node: autonomous take-off, landing and recharging without human intervention.
• Coordinated network: multiple nodes act as one system with real-time drone handoff.
• Pole and wall mounting: installs on existing poles, walls, towers and lampposts.
• Remote operation: nodes are managed remotely for BVLOS flights.
• AI analytics: real-time analysis of camera data for inspection and security.
• Hazardous sites: ATEX Zone certification for explosive atmospheres is stated on the page.

A Vietnamese seaport can patrol yards and berths with networked NEST nodes. An oil and gas facility can inspect flare stacks and tanks in hazardous zones. An industrial park can run automated security rounds.

Drones can run 24/7 without on-site staff, which lowers the labour cost of monitoring. Nodes install on existing structures with no civil works. Drone handoff between nodes extends coverage, and the system targets explosive-atmosphere sites through ATEX Zone certification.

Docked drones that operate without pilots on site are becoming a standard way to inspect and secure industrial assets. Ports, refineries, industrial parks and smart-city programmes in Vietnam and Southeast Asia face rising monitoring costs, and a Singapore deployment shows the regional demand.

Founded 2018 in Trieste, Italy. Series A of EUR 15 million in 2026 led by Algebris with Azimut, CDP Venture Capital, SIMEST and Eni Next. Seed round of EUR 5 million in 2021. Patent protected in 12 jurisdictions according to the site.