NEW YORK, NY -- January 26, 2022 -- InvestorsHub NewsWire --
ILUS International Inc (OTC:
ILUS) is a Mergers and Acquisitions company focused on
acquiring and developing public safety technology-based companies
across the globe. Having completed 4 acquisitions in 2021, ILUS has
been in the process of completing several further acquisitions in
January 2022. The company has agreed to acquire Vira Drones, an
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) company based in Germany and
Switzerland. Vira Drones develops and manufactures UAVs or
Industrial Drones. This technology is a world first in that it
delivers the unmanned capability of light helicopters, with
competitors of the acquisition achieving pre-production valuations
of over $1.2 billion.
Vira Drones currently creates industrial heavy drones (UAVs) for
rescue and logistics. Through the company’s proprietary technology,
its UAVs can carry loads of up to 1000kg for as long as two hours,
making these UAVs a viable unmanned alternative to light
helicopters and free of their limitations. Vira Drones’ mission is
to save more lives and access hard-to-reach locations more
efficiently and cost effectively. The company is on track to become
the world’s leading cargo and rescue drone manufacturer and plans
to capture a significant share of the light helicopter market in
the process.
The global light helicopter market is currently valued at $13
billion per annum. Within this, the market for light helicopters
used for logistics and rescue is estimated to be between $2 and $3
billion. Vira Drones anticipates that at least 20% and up to 50% of
these light helicopters can be replaced by industrial drones. It is
expected that the market for UAVs will grow to $1.5 trillion by
2040. To say that Vira Drones has a bright future ahead is a
substantial understatement. Airbus is planning to build 3
unicorn-sized scaleups per year and Boeing recently invested $450
million in the “flying taxi” company, Wisk. Eve Urban Air Mobility
also recently confirmed it is going public via a SPAC merger with
Zanite Acquisition Corp. after obtaining a pre-money valuation of
around $2.4 billion. These examples illustrate the UAV industry
potential, with Vira Drones already having received extensive
interest from global aviation juggernauts and prominent
international organisations.
The two major competitors of Vira Drones in the logistics sector
have already achieved valuations of $1.2 billion and $1.3 billion
respectively. Neither of these competitors have an offering for the
rescue sector and currently, they do not have certifications or
technology in commercial production for their existing technology.
Vira Drones has already created and tested 3 prototypes and has
applied for several patents. ILUS has acquired Vira Drones with the
goal of integrating its technology into ILUS’ existing and planned
emergency response solutions as well as with that of upcoming ILUS
acquisitions. The company will prioritize the registering of a
further 10 patents and the obtaining of 3 type approval
certificates before focusing on the aviation certification. This
will enable Vira Drones’ UAVs to fly commercially in inhabited
areas. Vira Drones is currently registering a patent for its
revolutionary 3D access airflow system for each rotor which ensures
constant horizontal stabilization during flight. Horizontal
stability is critical for logistics and rescue applications, and it
is one of the many key differentiators between Vira Drones and its
competitors. The company has also developed and successfully tested
the world’s first “scalable body” which enables 3 drones to be
connected to each other to form a flying train. This will increase
capacity and reduce certification costs whilst providing a more
cost effective, modular solution for customers.
Vira Drones started its life by developing a fire and rescue
drone which was designed to rescue victims from high-rise buildings
in the event of fires or other tragic events like the 9/11
terrorist attacks, where people cannot get rescued with helicopters
due to the rotors. The first fire and rescue drone prototypes were
developed for this project and the company continued onwards from
there to develop surveillance drones for fire prevention,
monitoring and rescue applications. The company’s specialist drone
engine and rotor technology which enables the drones to fly in most
weather conditions and achieve up to four hours of flight time, has
been combined with smart cameras and artificial intelligence
software. Prior to the agreed acquisition of Vira Drones, ILUS had
been working with the company to develop this into a practical
solution for fire and rescue, whereby the drones could be used for
early detection of fires and carry onboard fire extinguishing
capability that could be deployed in the early stages of fires – to
extinguish them before they develop further. Early detection is
critical to the control of wildfires which can often smoulder for
days or even weeks before igniting. The firefighting industry is
urgently seeking a solution which can detect and combat a potential
wildfire before it develops. Cost-effective unmanned surveillance
combined with IoT technology will play a vital role in the fighting
of wildfires in the future. The ILUS strategy has long been to be
utilise IoT, combined with ground-breaking engineering to provide
real-world solutions for emergency response. The agreed acquisition
of Vira Drones is a giant leap forward for ILUS in this regard.
ILUS will be energetically pushing forward with the fire and rescue
product development at Vira Drones and has several potential
customers lined up to commence testing of the technology.
Following the original development of the fire and rescue drone
prototypes, Vira Drones began the development of its drones for the
logistics sector. This was driven by the need for the UAVs to
deliver humanitarian aid in war and disaster zones. The company has
now created prototypes which are in the process of being air tested
and it has also developed 3 types of innovative engines. The system
has been autopilot tested and the company is now working to finish
further improved prototypes while thorough testing continues, to
meet aviation specifications and standards. Vira Drones already has
customers such as the World Food Programme lined up to test its
UAVs for the delivery of supplies in several African countries. In
addition to the transport of supplies to drought or flood ravaged
regions and other disaster zones, the UAVs will also play a vital
role in rescue operations. Vira Drones has partnered with
distributors such as Agility Prime, Senator International and
Hevilift to name a few. In the logistics sector, ILUS has initial
plans to commence sales to helicopter and drone companies for
leasing. It then plans to launch a subscription service for cargo
delivery (by number of flying hours). This business model is well
suited to the logistics sector and there is already significant
interest from the oil and gas industry for the delivery of supplies
to oil rigs. Once ILUS has successfully completed the development,
testing and certification of its emergency response drone
solutions, which will include its fire and rescue drones, it plans
to offer them to the market via similar leasing and subscription
services. This will make them more accessible to the emergency
response industry whilst providing ongoing recurring revenue for
Vira Drones.
The Vira Drones product range currently consists of the Vira
M250, M500 and M750 which have a payload of 250kg, 500kg and 750kg
respectively. The Vira M250 has a flight time of up to 4 hours. The
Vira M1000 is currently in testing and will be able to transport
1000kg for a flight time of up to 2 hours. Maximum speeds for the
UAVs range from 125 to 150 km/h.
There are several significant disadvantages of light helicopters
which strengthen the value proposition of the Vira Drones
technology. Some of the disadvantages include high purchase,
operation and maintenance costs, the requirement for highly skilled
pilots, limited mobility in urban environments, geometric
dimensions of the loading area, geometric limitations when
maneuvering, dependance on weather conditions, the need to change
angles when operating (cannot remain horizontal), increased
difficulty of load centering and increased noise pollution. The
average purchase cost of a light helicopter is 10 times that of a
Vira UAV whilst the operating costs are approximately 15 times
more. The company has also developed technology for the control of
multiple drones from a centralized point, further reducing cost and
increasing the capability of the technology.
Vira Drones will continue to be managed by the two company
founders, Valeriy Gorshkov and Igor Maslov, who respectively will
remain CEO and CTO of the company. They will continue to be
supported by their core team which includes a Lead Engine Designer,
Head of Artificial Intelligence, and a Business Development
Specialist. ILUS will focus initially on the patents,
certifications, and the sales and marketing aspects of the
business. The current management’s focus has been on the research
and development of the technology and although there is enormous
interest in the company’s technology, ILUS is already working on
the improvement of the company’s branding, its website, technical
documentation, and aggressive business development strategy, to
name a few.
Given the trailblazing technology and mammoth potential gained
through the acquisition of Vira Drones, ILUS has extraordinary
plans for the company. ILUS believes that Vira Drones will
transform the emergency response and logistics industry and its
valuation should skyrocket as patents and certifications are
awarded. ILUS believes that this and similar upcoming acquisitions
will catapult its up-listing plans. The company will incorporate
aspects of Vira Drones’ fire and rescue technology into its
Emergency Response Technologies (ERT) business, whilst it will
further develop the commercial drone business for logistics and
transportation under a Vira Drones subsidiary within ILUS. The
company is planning a third defense division which will transport
supplies and equipment for the military, especially in volatile
locations. There is already peaked interest in this capability.
This third division is more than likely going to sit within a new
subsidiary which ILUS management is currently working on and will
expand on further at the company’s Annual Shareholder’s
Meeting.
ILUS Managing Director, John-Paul Backwell, commented: “This
acquisition has been going on behind the scenes for some time and
is very exciting for the company to have completed. It is one of
several exciting deals that we have been working on in-line with
the technology advancement strategy which we have been
communicating to our Shareholders for some time now.”
Nick Link, CEO of ILUS, added: “This is a massive leap forward
for ILUS. The valuation of this acquisition is mind blowing and it
will play an important role in accelerating many of our upcoming
plans. We look forward to unveiling our more detailed roadmap for
Vira Drones and how it fits into the bigger ILUS picture along with
the similar deals which we will announce soon.”
For further information on the companies, please see their
communication channels:
Website: https://ilus-group.com
Twitter: OTC_ILUS
Source: ILUS
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