Odys Aviation, a dual-use aviation company building hybrid-electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, has raised $26 million in Series A funding. The round was led by Nova Threshold, with participation from Tuchen Ventures and key insiders.
This investment will fuel full-scale U.S. flight testing of Odys’s flagship Laila aircraft, expand its engineering and certification teams, and prepare for the company’s first international operational launch in Q1 2026.
Pioneering the Future of Dual-Use Air Mobility
Founded in 2022, Odys Aviation is developing long-range hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft designed for both commercial and defense applications. The company’s mission is to connect people and goods in ways that truly solve real-world challenges, whether in logistics, sovereign airpower, or humanitarian response.
Their first platform, Laila, combines runway-independent flexibility with a 450-mile range and 120 lb payload capacity, making it the most capable hybrid-electric cargo drone in its class. Odys’s forthcoming Alta aircraft pushes the boundaries even further with a 1,200-mile range and 3,500-pound payload, unlocking full regional VTOL potential.
“A Critical Inflection Point”
“This funding marks a critical inflection point for Odys,” said James Dorris, CEO of Odys Aviation. “We’ve already proven the technology and performance potential of hybrid-electric VTOL. Now, our focus shifts to scaling operations, bringing together the right people, systems, and partners to demonstrate what a full advanced air-mobility ecosystem looks like in practice, not theory.”
Over the past two years, Odys has achieved a series of major milestones: successful integration and testing of its hybrid propulsion system, completion of design and certification benchmarks under the JARUS/SORA 2.5 framework, and the first test of its Alta 1 MW generator, a breakthrough that extends beyond aviation into broader clean-energy applications.
Building the Ecosystem, Not Just the Aircraft
“What sets Odys apart is our ability to execute beyond a single aircraft or flight,” said Andy Apple, VP of Strategy at Odys Aviation. “We’re developing the infrastructure, autonomy, and operational frameworks needed to integrate advanced air mobility into real-world airspace and regulatory environments. This funding ensures we can deliver on that vision for our customers and partners.”
Odys’s Series A proceeds will fund an extensive U.S. full-scale flight-test campaign to validate performance, endurance, and autonomy. These programs will lead to global proof-of-concept demonstrations connecting civil, commercial, and defense applications in a single, scalable operational model.
Odys has already earned the trust of the U.S. Department of Defense, with 14 contracts across three branches totaling over $11 million. These projects address critical gaps in UAV availability, affordability, and scalability for contested logistics, ISR, and combat-support missions.
Backed by a World-Class Team
The Odys Aviation team brings together engineers and strategists from SpaceX, Gulfstream, Airbus, Tesla, and the U.S. Department of Defense, led by CEO James Dorris, a veteran of Google X, Hyperloop One, and Arrivo.
The company has secured more than $11 billion in signed Letters of Intent from commercial and government partners, signaling strong market demand for sustainable, long-range hybrid-electric flight.
A New Era of Regional Flight
Global demand for flexible, runway-independent air systems is rising sharply across defense and logistics. Odys’s hybrid-electric approach delivers the balance of range, payload, and efficiency that next-generation missions require, offering a pathway to re-establish American leadership in advanced aerospace.
At Zillionize, we’re proud to support the innovators who are redefining how the world moves. Odys Aviation isn’t just building aircraft, they’re building the backbone for the next chapter of flight.
Why Zillionize Invested
At Zillionize, we invest early in founders who combine visionary thinking with deep technical execution. Odys Aviation stands at the intersection of sustainable energy and next-generation aerospace, proving that hybrid-electric flight is not only possible but commercially viable across both civil and defense markets.
We were drawn to James Dorris and his team’s ability to deliver hardware at speed, achieving multiple flight-test milestones and integrating hybrid-electric propulsion within a remarkably short timeframe. Their dual-use model, leveraging defense and cargo operations as a bridge to passenger mobility, demonstrates a disciplined, scalable path toward global adoption.
Odys’s breakthroughs in hybrid-electric propulsion and their bold plan to bring VTOL capability to long-range aircraft represent a new era for advanced air mobility. We’re excited to support them as they take the next leap forward in connecting the world through smarter, cleaner, and more versatile flight.