Supersonic flight startup Exosonic closes down after running out of funds

Aviation Technology and Innovation Exosonic
Exosonic

Californian startup Exosonic is closing down after failing to secure enough additional funding to continue pursuing its supersonic aircraft and drone projects. 

Exosonic was founded in 2019 by Norris Tie, an aerospace engineer who had previously worked at Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin where he worked on the X-59 low-boom supersonic aircraft program for NASA.  

The company went through the prestigious Y Combinator startup acceleration program in the Bay Area before going on to raise $6.5 million from several venture capital funds. Exosonic also received funding from the US Department of Defense, through the Air Force’s AFWERX and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programs. 

In April 2024 Exosonic successfully flight-tested a small-scale version of its EX-3M Trident supersonic unmanned aerial system (UAS). 

In addition to developing unmanned platforms for defense applications, Exosonic also planned to develop a supersonic airliner called “Horizon”. 

Exosonic joins a growing list of pioneering aerospace firms, such as British hypersonic flight developer Reaction Engines or German eVTOL developer Lilium, which have faced a funding crunch before being able to bring their products to market.  

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