Malaysian Drone Innovator Aonic Secures USD10 Million to Accelerate Global Growth

3 March 2026

KUALA LUMPUR: Aonic, a Malaysia-founded drone technology company operating across Southeast Asia, has announced a USD 10 million funding boost. Led by Kairous Capital, backed by Jelawang Capital and Malaysia’s National Fund-of-Funds through its Emerging Fund Managers’ Programme, this Series A investment will fast-track Aonic’s regional and international expansion, enhance research and development, and scale its Malaysia-designed drones, software, and services.

Chief Executive Cheong Jin Xi stated, “Aonic is scaling a proven system. Years of building our engineering, manufacturing, and operational foundations mean we’re ready to take our field-ready drones globally, maintaining the same reliability we’ve demonstrated in Southeast Asia.”

Aonic provides end-to-end drone solutions that modernise agriculture and industrial sectors by tackling traditional challenges: labour-intensive and hazardous tasks. By replacing manual spraying, Aonic’s drones help farmers increase efficiency and yields. Internal data shows that their agriculture drones can boost farmer incomes by 50%, increase output by around 54%, and cut water use for spraying by approximately 75% compared to manual methods.

To support large-scale deployment, Aonic has developed a fully integrated in-house ecosystem. It designs, engineers, and manufactures its own drones and proprietary software, giving full control over product performance, costs, and future development.

Beyond technology, Aonic offers farmers training, drone financing, and agri-input retail to lower adoption barriers and ensure sustainable growth across agriculture and industrial operations. Its extensive after-sales network of over 50 sales, service, and spare parts centres across Southeast Asia provides reliable, on-the-ground support well after deployment.

As a leading player in Malaysia and Thailand’s agri-drone markets, Aonic’s drones are widely used for spraying in plantations and farms.

Adrian Hia, Partner at Kairous Capital, commented, “We’ve been looking for transformative agri-tech solutions, and Aonic is one of the few Malaysia-based companies capable of scaling across Southeast Asia. Their combination of technical expertise, execution, and disciplined growth delivers clear benefits for farmers.”

Since 2022, Aonic has grown at a triple-digit compound annual growth rate, surpassing USD 60 million in annual revenue. The company has been profitable since 2023, reflecting its scalable operations and strategic focus.

Today, Aonic’s drones are operational in over 15 countries, supporting agriculture, plantation management, inspection, and industrial services.

Hia added, “This investment allows Aonic to deepen R&D for its proprietary drone technology and expand manufacturing capacity in Malaysia as it prepares for the next growth phase.”

Aonic is actively expanding its reseller and distributor network to bring its Malaysia-made drone ecosystem to global markets. Concurrently, it continues to modernise Malaysia’s agriculture sector through initiatives like Aonic Flex financing, Drone Academy Asia training, and integration with agri-inputs—empowering both smallholders and large estate operators to adopt drone technology with lower upfront costs and measurable productivity benefits.

Cheong Jin Xi noted, “Kairous Capital understands our long-term vision and the importance of scaling an asset-heavy platform. Their support goes beyond funding—they bring expertise to help us grow internationally over the next five years.”

With a stronger capital base and a decade of experience since its founding in 2016, Aonic is set to expand its infrastructure and export Malaysian engineering excellence, driving the next wave of agricultural and industrial innovation worldwide.