Pony AI Partners with Sunlight Mobility, Flexion Raises €43M, Heven AeroTech's Z1 Drone Gains Status - Robotics Brief #44
November 27, 2025 -
Robotics Brief
Hi there,
In this edition of the Robotics Brief, we're diving into a series of exciting developments in the world of AI and robotics. Pony AI Inc. has teamed up with Sunlight Mobility to expand their fleet using an asset-light model, starting with the deployment of Gen-7 Robotaxi vehicles in Guangzhou by the end of 2025. Meanwhile, Zurich-based startup Flexion has raised €43 million to enhance humanoid robot intelligence, aiming to improve autonomous operations.
Additionally, Heven AeroTech's Z1 drone has achieved Blue UAS Select status, meeting stringent cybersecurity and operational standards for U.S. defense use. In a significant demonstration of AI and human-machine collaboration, Lockheed Martin showcased controlling a drone from an F-22 cockpit. On the industrial front, Foxconn and Alphabet's Intrinsic are collaborating to integrate AI-driven robotics in U.S. manufacturing sites, aiming to boost production efficiency and sustainability. Stay tuned for more insights into these groundbreaking advancements.
In this edition of the Robotics Brief, we're diving into a series of exciting developments in the world of AI and robotics. Pony AI Inc. has teamed up with Sunlight Mobility to expand their fleet using an asset-light model, starting with the deployment of Gen-7 Robotaxi vehicles in Guangzhou by the end of 2025. Meanwhile, Zurich-based startup Flexion has raised €43 million to enhance humanoid robot intelligence, aiming to improve autonomous operations.
Additionally, Heven AeroTech's Z1 drone has achieved Blue UAS Select status, meeting stringent cybersecurity and operational standards for U.S. defense use. In a significant demonstration of AI and human-machine collaboration, Lockheed Martin showcased controlling a drone from an F-22 cockpit. On the industrial front, Foxconn and Alphabet's Intrinsic are collaborating to integrate AI-driven robotics in U.S. manufacturing sites, aiming to boost production efficiency and sustainability. Stay tuned for more insights into these groundbreaking advancements.
Pony AI Partners with Sunlight Mobility for Fleet Expansion
Pony AI Inc. has partnered with Sunlight Mobility to implement an asset-light model to accelerate the expansion of their fleet. This initiative involves funding the deployment of Gen-7 Robotaxi vehicles, starting in Guangzhou by the end of 2025. Read more
Flexion Raises €43 Million for Humanoid Robot Intelligence
Zurich-based startup Flexion has secured €43 million in Series A funding to advance its platform for humanoid robots. The funding will support the development of an intelligence layer for autonomous robot operation. Read more
Heven AeroTech's Z1 Drone Gains Blue UAS Status
Heven AeroTech's Z1 hydrogen-powered drone has been awarded Blue UAS Select status by the Defense Innovation Unit. This recognition confirms its compliance with cybersecurity and operational standards, enabling its use across U.S. Department of Defense components and federal partners. Read more
Lockheed Martin Demonstrates AI Drone Control from F-22
At Nellis Air Force Base, Lockheed Martin showcased the ability to control a drone from an F-22 cockpit, marking a step forward in AI-enabled human-machine teaming. Read more
Foxconn and Alphabet's Intrinsic Partner on Robotics
Electronics manufacturer Foxconn has partnered with Alphabet's Intrinsic Innovation to introduce AI-driven robotics in its US manufacturing sites, aiming to improve production efficiency and sustainability. Read more
Intrinsic and Foxconn Partner for AI Robots in U.S. Factories
Intrinsic, part of Alphabet, is collaborating with Foxconn to deploy AI-driven robots in U.S. manufacturing facilities, aiming to improve production flexibility. Read more
Apptronik Valued at $5 Billion After Funding Round
Apptronik, a robotics startup from Austin, has reached a valuation of nearly $5 billion after raising $331 million. The company develops humanoid robots for industries with labor shortages, with its flagship robot, Apollo, designed for warehouse and logistics work. Read more
oToBrite Unveils Vision-AI Solutions at iREX 2025
At iREX 2025, oToBrite introduced new Vision-AI technologies for outdoor robotics and unmanned vehicles, including advanced camera systems and positioning solutions. Read more
Foxsy AI Introduces FoxLeague Gaming Platform
Foxsy AI has unveiled FoxLeague, a platform merging AI robotics research with competitive gaming. It offers a simulation-based environment for autonomous systems and features global tournaments and a tokenized reward system. Read more
Exwayz Secures €1 Million for Autonomous Navigation Tech
Autonomous robotics startup Exwayz has raised €1 million to enhance its 3D perception and navigation software, focusing on environments where GPS is unreliable. Read more
Viam and Universal Robots Collaborate on AI Automation
Viam has partnered with Universal Robots to enhance AI-powered industrial automation solutions. The collaboration focuses on using Universal Robots' UR Series to improve manufacturing processes and tackle labor shortages. Read more
Baobab Ventures Launches $15M Fund for AI and Robotics Startups
Baobab Ventures has introduced a $15 million fund to support early-stage companies in AI, robotics, and defense. The fund, led by Carles Reina, aims to assist startups with investments averaging $300K–$350K. Read more
Xiaomi Open-Sources MiMo-Embodied AI Model
Xiaomi has released an open-source AI model called MiMo-Embodied, focusing on autonomous driving and robotics. This model is noted as the first open-source vision-language model in its domain. Read more
Advantech and D3 Embedded Enhance AI for AMRs
Advantech and D3 Embedded have partnered to improve AI-powered object sensing and recognition for Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), utilizing Advantech's AFE-R360/R760 solutions and D3 Embedded's DesignCore® Discovery ISX031 PRO Series cameras. Read more
SAIC and HavocAI Collaborate for U.S. Navy
SAIC and HavocAI have partnered to integrate their technologies, aiming to enhance the U.S. Navy's maritime operations by improving autonomous vessel connectivity and decision-making. Read more
Waymo Expands Autonomous Operations in California
Waymo has received regulatory approval to expand its autonomous vehicle operations in the Bay Area and Southern California, including regions like the East Bay, North Bay, and Sacramento. Read more
Robotera Raises RMB 1 Billion for Robotics
Robotera has secured RMB 1 billion in a Series A+ funding round to advance its embodied intelligence robotics development. Read more
Buildroid AI Raises $2 Million for Construction Robotics
UAE-based startup Buildroid AI has secured $2 million in pre-seed funding to develop AI-powered robots for the construction industry, focusing initially on a block-laying robot. Read more
Parallax Worlds Secures $4.9M for Robot Stress-Testing
Parallax Worlds has raised $4.9 million to enhance its platform for virtually stress-testing industrial robots. The funding will aid in product development and expansion into large-scale manufacturing. Read more
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