Hammer Missions Secures £1.4M Funding to Expand AI Drone Inspection Platform

April 17, 2025

Hammer Missions Secures £1.4M Funding to Expand AI Drone Inspection Platform

Hammer Mission funding is making headlines as the London-based drone and AI startup secures a significant capital injection to fuel its next phase of growth. The company has raised €1.6 million (approximately £1.4 million) in new funding, with the round led by ACF Investors and supported by notable angel investors such as Graham Hunter, Martin Grant, and Stephen Bullock. This funding will help Hammer Missions accelerate its AI technology development and support its strategic expansion into the North American market.

Founded in 2019 by Varun Sarwal, Hammer Missions specializes in AI-powered software that enables owners, architects, engineers, and contractors to inspect built structures using drones. The technology has already been deployed in over 20,000 drone flights and more than 5,000 projects, serving clients in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sectors. The company’s software solution is designed to map and inspect structures, generating highly tailored 3D inspection reports through automated drone flights. This approach captures comprehensive data on building assets quickly and efficiently, significantly reducing the time and cost typically involved in traditional inspection methods.

The importance of building inspections cannot be overstated, as they are critical for ensuring the safety, quality, and compliance of built structures. Hammer Missions points to the UK’s Building Safety Act as an example of the increasing need for rigorous construction and maintenance practices. Traditional inspection methods often require specialized equipment and on-site teams, making the process both time-consuming and expensive. Hammer Missions’ AI-driven solution addresses these challenges by automating data capture and analysis, allowing professionals to focus on making informed decisions rather than sifting through raw data.

Varun Sarwal, CEO at Hammer Missions, emphasized the company’s commitment to simplicity and actionable insights, stating, “We built our drone software with simplicity at its core, to help industry stakeholders gather actionable data for any type of building structure. We’re working with exceptional clients and partners, and look forward to using the funding to expand internationally and improve our product offering to remain at the cutting edge of inspection technology in the built environment”.

The funding round attracted several high-profile investors. Graham Hunter is the founder and former chair at GeoSLAM, Martin Grant is the former CEO of Energy at Atkins, and Stephen Bullock is a serial tech investor and former president at E100 Angels. Their involvement highlights the confidence in Hammer Missions’ vision and technology.

Sam Fennell, partner at ACF Investors, commented on the impact of Hammer Missions’ technology, stating, “Hammer Missions radically changes the economics for building owners who need to perform accurate assessments of the structures they own and manage. Many large buildings are hard and expensive to access, reducing the ability to assess them for safety or preventative maintenance. Thanks to Hammer they can now do this quickly, accurately and cost effectively. We are pleased to be backing Varun and his team as it builds through its next phase of growth”.

Hammer Missions’ integrated AI software streamlines the entire inspection process, from data collection to analysis and reporting. Its applications include roof and facade investigations, defect detection, and thermal forensics. By automating these tasks, the platform allows industry professionals to shift their focus from manual data analysis to making strategic decisions that enhance building safety and performance.

With the latest Hammer Mission funding, the company is well-positioned to expand its footprint in North America and continue innovating in the field of drone-based building inspections. Its partnerships with leading AEC firms such as Thornton Thomasetti and SGH in the US demonstrate its growing influence and value in global building assessments.

As Hammer Missions continues to develop its technology and expand internationally, the recent funding round marks a pivotal moment in its journey to revolutionize how the built environment is inspected and maintained.