Aonic expands global reach with drone innovation

Aonic, a drone technology company founded in Malaysia, has secured US$10mn  in Series A funding to support its next stage of growth.

The investment is led by Kairous Capital, with backing from Jelawang Capital through its Emerging Fund Managers Programme. This funding marks a major step in Aonic’s journey to expand beyond Southeast Asia while strengthening its research, development, and production capabilities.

The company has steadily built a strong presence in the region by offering complete drone solutions for agriculture and industry. Its technology is designed to reduce reliance on labour intensive and risky manual work. By introducing drone spraying, Aonic has helped farmers improve efficiency and productivity. Internal data shows that farmers using its drones have seen income rise by 50 per cent, output increase by around 54 per cent, and water usage for spraying drop by about 75 per cent compared to traditional methods.

"Aonic is scaling a proven system," said Cheong Jin Xi, Founder and CEO of Aonic. "We've spent years building the engineering, manufacturing, and operational foundations to support real-world, field-ready operations. This funding enables us to expand globally with the same level of consistency and reliability we've achieved in Southeast Asia."

What sets Aonic apart is its fully integrated ecosystem. The company designs and manufactures its own drones while developing software in house, allowing full control over quality, cost, and future direction. It also supports farmers through training programmes, financing options, and access to agricultural supplies, making it easier for both smallholders and large operators to adopt new technology.

"We have been searching for transformative food and agri-technology for a long time, and Aonic is a rare Malaysia-based company that can deliver across Southeast Asia at scale," said Adrian Hia, Partner at Kairous Capital. "The team pairs deep technical capability with exceptional execution and financial discipline, bringing measurable outcomes for farmers."

With operations in more than 15 countries and a growing support network, Aonic is now preparing to take its Malaysian built innovation to a global stage while continuing to uplift the agriculture sector at home.