IG Drones (India) and VoxelSensors (Belgium) forge global partnership to advance civilian drone capabilities for industrial and emergency use
Brussels, Belgium, 18 June 2025 – IG Drones, a leading Indian drone technology company, has announced a strategic collaboration with Belgian deep tech pioneer VoxelSensors to integrate next-generation 3D perception systems into its UAV platforms. This partnership is set to transform how drones navigate and operate in GPS-denied and visually complex environments, such as dense forests, urban infrastructure zones, tunnels, and industrial interiors.
At the heart of this partnership lies the integration of VoxelSensors’ SPAES ™ (Single Photon Active Event Sensor) technology — renowned for its ultra-low latency and high-precision spatial sensing — with IG Drones fleet of intelligent unmanned aerial vehicles. The result is a new generation of drones with advanced environmental awareness, enhanced obstacle avoidance, and higher-fidelity mapping capabilities for infrastructure inspection, emergency response, environmental monitoring, and smart city applications.
Mr Paneerselvam Madanagopal, CEO, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, welcomed the announcement, stating, “This partnership between IG Drones and VoxelSensors marks a significant step forward in the evolution of autonomous aerial technology. By combining India’s deep-rooted commitment to scalable drone solutions with VoxelSensors’ cutting-edge 3D spatial intelligence, we are witnessing the kind of global cooperation that advances innovation in a responsible, civilian-first manner. MeitY supports such collaborations that not only strengthen India’s digital and industrial capabilities but also foster meaningful international partnerships aligned with sustainable and high-impact technological progress.”
“This collaboration truly marks a new chapter for us,” said Mr Sambit Parida, Chief Technology Officer at IG Drones. “By embedding VoxelSensors’ breakthrough 3D sensing technologies into our systems, we’re enabling smarter, safer, and more autonomous drone operations. These capabilities are vital for civilian missions where situational complexity and safety demand real-time perception and adaptive decision-making. We remain committed to our vision of delivering cutting-edge, indigenous drone technologies aligned with India’s broader digital and infrastructure goals.”
The partnership comes at a time when IG Drones is expanding rapidly, with over 200 drones deployed in FY25, a 330% jump in revenue, and the rollout of 50 Drone Centres of Excellence in collaboration with AICTE across India. As the demand for intelligent drone systems increases across sectors — from disaster management to industrial inspection — IG Drones is positioning itself to meet the challenge through global technology collaborations that fuse precision with performance.
Mr Andre Miodezky, President of VoxelSensors, also commented on the partnership: “We’re excited to join forces with IG Drones to bring our sensing innovation into practical, high-impact use cases. Our SPAES technology provides real-time depth perception and motion awareness that empowers UAVs to function reliably, even in visually complex and dynamic environments. This partnership bridges European innovation with India’s drone ecosystem, and together we’re helping shape the future of aerial intelligence.”
Both companies share a commitment to sustainability, safety, and scalability in autonomous systems. By combining VoxelSensors advanced 3D sensor suite with IG Drones' versatile drone platforms, the collaboration aims to redefine operational efficiency in industries such as energy, infrastructure, urban planning, environmental conservation, and public safety.
This strategic alliance underscores IG Drones ongoing journey to become a global leader in unmanned aerial solutions — while reaffirming that innovation, when grounded in collaboration, can push the boundaries of what's possible across borders and industries.
About IG Drones:
IG Drones is a deep-tech company building intelligent aerial systems powered by AI, autonomy, and real-time data. Our mission is to deliver scalable drone technologies that bridge physical environments with digital intelligence — enabling faster decisions, greater efficiency, and smarter insights across critical sectors. Through innovation in machine learning, sensor fusion, and edge computing, we make next-gen aerial intelligence more accessible, adaptive, and human-centric.
For Press Information contact:
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website: https://www.igdrones.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/igdrones
About VoxelSensors:
VoxelSensors is a Belgian deep-tech startup committed to developing advanced sensing technologies that enhance human-centered contextual interaction. With a focus on efficiency and scalability, we aim to empower AI with the necessary contextual data for smarter and more personal insights.
For Press Information contact:
Karina Kovalenko – Marketing and Communications Manager
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://voxelsensors.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/voxelsensors
VoxelSensors Received inVISION Top Innovation 2025 Award
We are honored to be a Top Innovator, enabling new approaches and solving industry problems with real-time capture of contextual data, paving the way for egocentric data. Our Single Photon Active Event Sensor (SPAES) offers energy-efficient, low-latency, and scalable detection as well as asynchronous binary detection of events.
Watch our CTO Ward van der Tempel’s talk at inVision Days, titled "Single Photon Active Event Sensor: VoxelSensors’ Breakthrough in 3D Perception Technology": https://youtu.be/2QIbp76Ubsw?si=Rei34y8NiBeL5GIu
More about the award: https://invision-news.com/top-innovations/
VoxelSensors Selected for EIC Accelerator Challenge and Secures EU Grant
We are thrilled to announce our success in winning the EIC Accelerator Challenge of October 2024. We are happy to be among 71 selected companies surpassing the 6% success rate threshold. This achievement marks another significant milestone in our journey as a Brussels-based deep tech company.
We extend our gratitude to EIC, hub.brussels for their valuable guidance, Innoviris for their continued support, and PNO Innovation (Spain) for their expert assistance.
More information at: https://eic.ec.europa.eu/news/eic-accelerator-71-companies-selected-most-competitive-funding-round-so-far-2025-02-17_en
More about EIC Accelerator: https://eic.ec.europa.eu/eic-funding-opportunities/eic-accelerator_en
Technology Milestone: First Prototype of a Narrow Beam DPI Eye Tracker
Exciting news! 🚀
We now have a demonstration of our first operational prototype of a narrow beam Dual Purkinje Image (DPI) eye tracker. We believe the system can revolutionize user data acquisition, enabling the next generation of contextual AI in wearables.
The eye tracker uses our unique SPAES sensor and a novel optical approach that enables unprecedented accuracy of below 2 arcminutes and low power consumption at sampling rates exceeding 1 kHz.
This is a major step towards understanding user attention and context on wearable XR devices, which can revolutionize system assessment of saliency, cognitive load, perception, and cognition, paving the way for agentic user experiences.
VoxelSensors Unveils Groundbreaking Contextual Intelligence Solution at CES 2025
Las Vegas, NV, December 23rd, 2024 - VoxelSensors, a Belgian deep-tech startup, is excited to announce at CES 2025 its innovative solution focusing on enabling a future where AI empowers technologies like humanoid robots and smart agents to communicate with people as naturally as individuals interact with one another.
VoxelSensors technology is geared at gathering ‘first person view’ frontier data off of wearable devices to enable and deploy advanced contextual intelligence models to understand and assist any specific user in the context of their real-world experiences.
The resulting foundational models will be capable of adopting personalized, contextual insights. Most notably, integrating non-verbal cues that are missing in current datasets and models and are essential to gaining human-level interaction.
VoxelSensors leverages advanced sensing methods to gather accurate data about how individuals interact with their environment, providing smart, real-time agentic assistance tailored to the unique context of each user.
- Our proprietary mix of the industry’s most efficient light sensing SPAES sensors and the PERCEPT inference module forms a real-time sensor-fusion system for wearable devices, enabling unparalleled data collection that is both efficient and cost-effective, collecting only the data relevant for interpreting relevant experiences. By proactively modulating data collection based on user context, VoxelSensors revolutionizes the way AI processes user data, facilitating personalized insights that enable agentic user experiences.
Our SPAES sensors excel in world, spatial/3D, and gaze sensing, delivering over 10X improvements in accuracy, latency, and power consumption compared to conventional methods.
Supported by leading industry innovators, VoxelSensors is poised to lead the next generation of AI contextual interaction technologies. With a team that holds decades of experience in transforming complex hardware and software into scalable products—as evidenced by our previous success in selling a sensing venture to Sony—we are uniquely positioned to drive the intelligent agent revolution.
“We are collecting user point of view data with which we see the world as close as possible to the way the user does. This is achieved through our expertise in developing cutting-edge sensing technologies and data sciences. We believe this will enable the next generation of AI, offering contextual and reasoning abilities that will usher in the age of autonomous agents and superintelligence,” said Johannes Peeters, CEO of VoxelSensors.
Join us at CES 2025 to experience firsthand how VoxelSensors is shaping the future of human-computer interaction. Discover the potential of contextual intelligence and witness how our technology can redefine user experiences in today’s increasingly connected world.
About VoxelSensors
VoxelSensors is a Belgian deep-tech startup committed to developing advanced sensing technologies that enhance human-centered contextual interaction. With a focus on efficiency and scalability, we aim to empower AI with the necessary contextual data for smarter and more personal insights.
For Press Information contact:
Karina Kovalenko – Marketing and Communications Manager
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://voxelsensors.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/voxelsensors
VoxelSensors awarded the EU Horizon Europe Seal of Excellence
VoxelSensors has been awarded the EU Horizon Europe Seal of Excellence by the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator program.
This recognition from the European Commission highlights our project proposal's exceptional quality and innovation. The Seal of Excellence is awarded to top-tier proposals that meet rigorous EU funding criteria.
The Seal of Excellence reinforces our commitment to pushing the boundaries of sensor technology. We are excited about the future and the potential impact our innovations can have on the industry.
More info: https://eic.ec.europa.eu/eic-funding-opportunities/eic-accelerator/seals-excellence_en
Luminate Accelerator Awarded VoxelSensors with the $200 000 Distinguished Graduate Prize
Our participation at Cohort 7 of Luminate Accelerator is over and it is an honor to be awarded with a $200 000 Distinguished Graduate prize!
Being part of the accelerator has been an enriching journey. We are grateful for the support of Sujatha Ramanujan, Veronica LoCurcio, Damon Diehl, Holly Barrett, Donald Golini, and the rest of the team.
We are glad to be part of the Luminate community and to have the opportunity to engage with the Rochester photonics ecosystem.
VoxelSensors final pitch video: https://lnkd.in/eN4SCjBn
More about the Luminate Finals: https://lnkd.in/eWaEpbNH
About Luminate:
Luminate is the world’s largest accelerator for startups developing optics, photonics, and imaging (OPI) enabled technologies. It’s located in Rochester, NY. More about the accelerator program: https://luminate.org/
Vote live for VoxelSensors during the Luminate Accelerator Finals
Vote live for the VoxelSensors team during the Luminate Accelerator Finals on Thursday, 26 September at 4:00 PM EDT (10:00 PM CET).
Join us online for Luminate’s annual showcase and awards ceremony to:
- See which startups are awarded up to $2 million in follow-on funding, with a grand prize of $1 million for Company of the Year!
- Vote live for the VoxelSensors team to help us bring home this year’s Audience Choice Award and $10,000.
- Hear a panel discussion about the ethical use of data in AI and AI-enabled applications.
- Network among entrepreneurs, startup supporters, and members of Rochester’s vibrant innovation ecosystem.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/luminate-finals-2024-tickets-940344033317?aff=oddtdtcreator
About Luminate:
Luminate is the world’s largest accelerator for startups developing optics, photonics, and imaging (OPI) enabled technologies. It’s located in Rochester, NY. More about the accelerator program: https://luminate.org/
Kris Mertens joined the Board of Directors as an independent member
We are pleased to announce that Kris Mertens has joined VoxelSensors’ Board of Directors as an independent member.
Kris brings a wealth of experience in financial management and corporate governance. She is currently a Venture Acceleration Manager at imec.istart, where she supports technology startups. Her previous roles include Director of Finance & Administration at Exmar Ship Management and Finance Manager at Securitas Direct. Kris holds an MBA from Vlerick Business School and a Master’s in Real Estate from Antwerp Management School.
We welcome Kris to the team and look forward to her strategic insights and expertise.
VoxelSensors and OQmented Advance 3D Perception for Spatial Computing
Brussels, Itzehoe, June 18th, 2024 – VoxelSensors and OQmented, two European deep tech companies, announce the advancement of their commercial partnership to bring groundbreaking 3D perception systems to market for XR, mobile, and other applications.
The two companies announce this next step in their cooperation. The latest 3D perception system results from the tight integration of VoxelSensors’ PERCEPT technology based on Single Photon Active Event Sensor (SPAES) technology and OQmented's UltraLITE XRTM Engine platform.
At AWE USA 2024, VoxelSensors will introduce PERCEPT, a novel approach and systems architecture based on SPAES for augmented reality experiences, and Andromeda 3 evaluation kits in Q4 2024. Andromeda 3 is based on a single SPAES sensor and one illumination configuration, increasing performance and reducing cost over prior configurations.
“VoxelSensors’ PERCEPT combines unparalleled eye tracking and world perception, delivering an augmented reality experience that feels like an extension of your own senses,” said Andre Miodezky, CGO, CMO, and President. “We believe that Spatial and Empathic Computing is the future of XR and Mobile technology, and we are thrilled for VoxelSensors’ PERCEPT to be among the pioneers in this field.”
SPAES
VoxelSensors’ unique SPAES (Single Photon Active Event Sensor) technology enables low-power and low-latency sensors that operate at the boundaries of physics.
They produce 3D data with the absolute minimum amount of energy consumed. The single-photon sensitive sensors localize the tip of the laser beam with high temporal resolution (up to 100 MVoxel/s) and generate ultra-low latency depth data at a rate 100 times faster than any other technology.
UltraLITE XRTM Engine
OQmented’s UltraLITE XRTM Engine, based on patented bi-resonant vacuum sealed MEMS technology, is the world’s most advanced ultra-low power and compact laser light scanning system. Its unique Lissajous laser beam scanning (LBS) technique, in combination with SPAES sensing, captures complete 3D scenes orders of magnitude faster than frame-based approaches.
“UltraLITE XRTM Engine is also the same core platform underpinning our full color display engines, thus enabling both display and 3D depth, two essential elements of visually immersive Spatial Computing,” said Carl Korobkin, SVP of Business Development. “This dual capability potentially further reduces overall size, power consumption, and costs through a reduction in components and supply chain economies of scale.”
About VoxelSensors
VoxelSensors develops groundbreaking sensing technology for Spatial and Empathic interfaces and Mobile, XR, and industrial applications. Based on VoxelSensors’ Single Photon Active Event Sensor (SPAES), VoxelSensors’ PERCEPT technology combines unparalleled low-power, low-latency eye tracking and spatial awareness capabilities. VoxelSensors’ PERCEPT enhances wearables and mobile devices with empathic abilities to understand user attention and intent, delivering an augmented reality experience that feels natural to us.
By transcending the experience barrier with unprecedented levels of immersion and interaction, VoxelSensors is set to unlock the full potential of immersive and autonomous experiences and AI assistants. VoxelSensors’ PERCEPT enables devices to become more intuitive, responsive, and empathic, fundamentally transforming user experiences in smartphones, wearables, and industrial applications.
For Press Information contact:
Karina Kovalenko – Marketing and Communications Manager
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://voxelsensors.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/voxelsensors
About OQmented
OQmented develops groundbreaking laser beam scanning (LBS) light engines for XR, mobile and other applications. The company offers complete solutions, including in-house developed ASICs, highly customized and optimized to work with OQmented-developed MEMS mirrors. The unique Lissajous scan pattern in combination with vacuum encapsulation technology and proprietary electronics, algorithms and software, enables exceptional size-to-power density and image resolution, low latency and extended depth of field. OQmented’s flagship UltraLITE XRTM Engine is a uniquely scalable solution, capable of powering the displays and sensing of all-day lightweight and stylish AR glasses, on up to the largest 3D cinemas.
For Press Information contact:
Judith Woehl – Public Relations Manager
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.oqmented.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oqmented-gmbh