Private equity firm Foresight Group has invested in SpaceAM, a UK-based aerospace and defence technology company developing ultra-lightweight autonomous sensing systems for deployment in contested and extreme environments.

The investment follows a period of rapid progress for the business. Over the past months, SpaceAM has secured contracts with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the European Space Agency (ESA), been selected as one of 13 ‘future British defence unicorns’ receiving UK Government support through a new scheme designed to help grow future British defence technology businesses, expanded its team to 13 people and established new R&D facilities in Gloucestershire.

SpaceAM builds lightweight, AI-enabled sensor systems that can be deployed from the air or into extreme environments to collect critical data where conventional systems are too heavy, costly or difficult to use. Its nature-inspired flight technology helps small sensor payloads slow their descent without parachutes or propulsion, while onboard AI turns raw sensor readings into useful insight in real time.

Originally developed for space exploration, the technology is now also being used for several applications in the defence and security markets, where demand for advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities continues to grow.