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SiFly raises $20 million to start Q12 production

The Q12 holds a verified 3:11:54 flight record. SiFly has not started production, and its first paid deliveries are targeted for early 2027.

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SiFly Q12 long-endurance quadcopter shown in a side view
SiFly Q12 long-endurance quadcopter shown in a side view. Image: SiFly

Decision brief

The funding gives SiFly a path to production, not a stocked aircraft. Buyers should track when production starts, what parts ship in each aircraft, its FCC status after December 31, and the flight approval needed for each mission.

Series A
$20M

Announced August 26

Production
Not started

Facility negotiations reported

First revenue target
Q1 2027

Reported by Aviation Week

What the money changes

SiFly now has money to move from prototypes toward production.

SiFly announced a $20 million Series A on August 26. Shield Capital led the round. Qudit, BBK, and Alumni Ventures also took part. SiFly says the money will fund Q12 production, customer deliveries, and more work on its DronePort system.

Production has not started. Aviation Week reports that SiFly is aiming for its first paid Q12 deliveries in the first quarter of 2027. The company expects to build about 1,000 aircraft next year. It is also seeking a 15,000-square-foot factory in Sunnyvale, California. These are targets, not delivered aircraft.

What is proven

A Q12 prototype completed a verified three-hour flight.

The Q12 has completed a very long flight. Guinness World Records lists a flight of 3 hours, 11 minutes, and 54 seconds by a Q12 prototype. It took place in Chualar, California, on July 26, 2025. SiFly lists up to 180 minutes of flight time, 90 miles of range, a 60 mph top speed, a 10-pound payload, and an IP55 rating. The record proves one long prototype flight. It does not prove that a production fleet will match it with working payloads.

Before a purchase order

Check the aircraft that will actually be delivered.

A prototype flight and new funding do not tell a buyer what will arrive.

  1. 01

    Confirm production

    Get the production site, delivery window, acceptance process, and support terms in writing.

  2. 02

    Confirm the aircraft

    Record the source and approval status of the aircraft, radio, motors, batteries, payload, and controller.

  3. 03

    Confirm the mission

    Match the route, payload, crew, and command link to the FAA approval the flight requires.

What buyers still need

Production, parts, FCC status, and mission approval remain open.

SiFly calls the Q12 U.S.-made. Aviation Week reports that its motors come from China and its batteries are assembled in Malaysia. Chief executive Brian Hinman said U.S. motor assembly would now cost about three times as much. Buyers with sourcing rules will need a parts record for the exact aircraft they receive.

The FCC gave the Q12 a conditional exclusion from its Covered List for March 17 through December 31, 2026. That decision deals with FCC equipment approval. It is not flight approval. It also does not give every operator permission to fly beyond visual line of sight. The current end date comes before the target for first paid deliveries. Buyers should check the Q12's FCC status again when aircraft are ready to ship.

The next proof needs to come from production. That means a working factory, stable aircraft builds, customer signoffs, real payload tests, and current approval for each mission. The funding makes the Q12 more likely to reach buyers. It does not yet make the delivery schedule reliable.

Read the FCC equipment-authorization changeSee what the Q12's conditional Covered List exclusion covers and what it does not permit.

Practical read

What to watch next

Strong fit

  • Long-endurance public-safety and infrastructure missions
  • Mapping or inspection programs that can validate a new aircraft platform
  • Organizations ready to check the delivered parts and approvals

Account for

  • Production has not started
  • The current FCC conditional approval ends December 31, 2026
  • Prototype endurance is not a production-fleet guarantee

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