Prime Highlight
- Destinus has obtained a €50 million financing facility from Commerzbank, its first funding from a commercial bank, to support industrial expansion across Europe.
- The funding reflects Destinus’s strategic shift toward near-term, commercially viable autonomous and uncrewed aerospace systems for defence and security markets.
Key Facts
- With the latest loan, Destinus has raised nearly €400 million in total capital since its launch in 2021.
- The company employs around 750 engineers and specialists across Europe and focuses on AI-driven, vertically integrated production of autonomous aerospace systems.
Background
Dutch aerospace and defence technology company Destinus has secured a €50 million financing facility from Commerzbank, marking its first funding from a commercial bank. The new facility will support the company’s next phase of industrial expansion across Europe.
The Commerzbank loan adds to the €140 million raised recently through convertible instruments and shareholder loans. These followed earlier equity funding rounds. With the latest financing, Destinus has now raised close to €400 million in total capital since its launch in 2021.
Destinus first drew attention with its plan to build hydrogen-powered hypersonic aircraft that can fly at more than five times the speed of sound. The company wanted to cut long-distance travel times, such as flights from Europe to Australia, from about 20 hours to just four. Early test aircraft, including the Jungfrau and Eiger models, helped the company study aerodynamics, engines, and advanced materials.
In recent years, Destinus has adjusted its strategy to focus on near-term and commercially viable technologies. The company now concentrates on dual-use aerospace systems, especially autonomous and uncrewed platforms for defence and security markets. Its current products include unmanned aerial vehicles such as LORD, RUTA, and Hornet, designed for surveillance, mapping, and rapid response missions.
This shift was reinforced in 2025 when Destinus acquired Swiss AI avionics firm Daedalean, strengthening its capabilities in autonomous flight and artificial intelligence.
Destinus employs around 750 engineers and specialists across Europe and plays a growing role in the European defence industrial base. The company designs and manufactures autonomous systems at scale using AI-driven engineering and vertically integrated production.
Founder and CEO Mikhail Kokorich said the new funding signals strong confidence in Europe’s ability to build advanced autonomous flight systems. He added that the capital will help speed up production, testing and integration to meet demand from European and allied customers.
