The infusion is the latest win for the veteran-owned company that builds reconnaissance drones for military and public safety uses.
Ten Eleven Ventures, a cybersecurity-focused investment firm, led the funding round that's to help Darkhive increase its offerings, support Defense Department contracts and seek new business. It will also be used to speed delivery of drone systems to teams already in the field.
Darkhive CEO John Goodson said his autonomous drones are more secure, adaptable and cost-effective than similar products from competitors, including companies in China.
"The current landscape is full of hurdles that leave users in the field at an extreme disadvantage," he said. "Chinese offerings are intuitive to use and affordable but have known cybersecurity vulnerabilities. While American-made products are secure, they're expensive and difficult to use effectively."
Goodson said he wants to close that gap with drones that are reliable, secure and usable by anyone in the field.
The company's current offerings include the Yellowjacket, an 8-inch square drone for indoor or outdoor uses; Broodbox, a mobile application to operate Yellowjacket; Obelisk, a larger drone that's nearly 4-feet wide when extended; Redqueen, a mobile application that lets operators use voice commands to control drones; and Fleetforge, a software platform.
Mark Hatfield, Ten Eleven Ventures general partner, said the investment is part of the California firm's commitment to cybersecurity-focused companies working on national security problems.
"We believe Darkhive's platform offers the most compelling way to integrate vital secure code delivery and asset management for UAS fleets," he said.
Since launching in 2021, Darkhive has won more than $100 million in DoD small business contracts.
In January, the company moved from a garage workshop to a 10,000-square-foot facility in the Lone Star neighborhood south of downtown. It currently has 36 employees, nearly triple its workforce a year ago.
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