South Korean unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) specialist startup ADSystem has successfully closed a Pre-Series A funding round of approx. USD 2.14 million(KRW 3 billion). The round drew participation from UTC Investment, Daekyo Investment, Industrial Bank of Korea(IBK), JB Investment, and Korea University Holdings.

Since its founding in 2019, ADSystem has garnered attention for its fully in-house capabilities, covering design, manufacturing, and mass production. In October 2024, the company secured seed funding of approx. USD 0.21 million(KRW 300 million) from JB Ventures and was subsequently selected for the DeepTech TIPS program, providing a strong platform for growth.

ADSystem launched the AD-3000, the nation’s first stealth vertical take-off and landing UAV, capable of flying for up to three hours and optimized for reconnaissance missions. It is currently supplied to domestic SMEs and the Republic of Korea Army. Leveraging this success, the company has begun development of the AD-4000, a fully stealth attack UAV designed with ultra-low radar cross-section and weapon-carrying capabilities, expected to become a core offensive asset.

A JB Ventures representative commented, “From our initial discovery, ADSystem demonstrated exceptional technical maturity and market scalability. Securing interest from multiple institutional investors within just one year of our seed investment indicates rapid potential growth in the global market.”

CEO Jeong-ho Kim stated, “This investment is a recognition of both our technological excellence and business potential. We will accelerate our domestic and international market entry by strengthening R&D and expanding production infrastructure.”