Cargill Partners with Flyability on Drone Technology for Safety

Agricultural and food conglomerate Cargill is expanding its collaboration with Swiss technology startup Flyability. Through a commercial agreement and an equity investment, Cargill is deploying Flyability's drones to enhance safety and efficiency in hazardous inspection tasks.

The partnership, which began with testing in 2019, now includes an investment from Cargill Ventures, the company's internal venture capital arm. Flyability develops aerial drones designed for inspecting confined spaces, such as the interior of grain bins, reducing the need for human entry into potentially dangerous environments.

Cargill also participates on Flyability's product advisory board, assisting the startup in expanding its technology into the food and agriculture sectors. "The fact that we work with Cargill helps open doors with others," said Patrick Thevoz, CEO of Flyability. "We don’t have that industry expertise that Cargill brings to the table."

According to Cargill, the use of these drones has already transformed inspection methods and improved workplace safety at its production facilities. The companies plan to roll out the technology and associated teams globally by 2030, aiming to eliminate hazardous processes worldwide.