AI situational picture from Styria: Drone Corps invests more than three million euros in Lagebild.one

Drone Corps GmbH is investing more than three million euros in Lagebild.one GmbH, a spin-off of Joanneum Research that is developing an AI situational picture. According to a current press release, the company sees this as a “clear signal for Styria as a technology location”; it also strengthens Austria in a strategically important field of the future – AI applications for security-critical areas.

Originating from KISecAssist, a research project, Lagebild.one is to provide emergency and security organisations with a situational picture in digital, AI-supported form. The platform bundles data from drones, sensors and personnel deployed in the field and processes it in real time. The aim is to merge fragmented information so that well-founded decisions can be made even in complex situations. The “human-in-the-loop” approach remains central: the AI provides support, the human retains decision-making authority.

From research project to a market-ready AI situational picture

The joint venture sees itself as a flagship project of applied AI. It operates in a field that is central to Austria's industrial and innovation policy: AI systems that are trustworthy and transparent and highly relevant in practice. The focus is not only on developing the technology further – equally important are a marketable product and its step-by-step establishment in the DACH region.

This was confirmed at a meeting by Willibald Ehrenhöfer, member of the Styrian provincial government (Landesrat), Stephen Grimm as owner and managing director of DroneCorps GmbH, and Heinz Mayer as managing director of Joanneum Research. The discussion covered the next steps in the market launch of an AI-based platform for applications in the security-critical sector.

Willibald Ehrenhöfer, provincial minister for economy and science, said:

I am very pleased that a technology developed by our research company Joanneum Research has attracted the attention of an international investor, and that this investor is now also prepared to found a company in Austria and bring the technology to market maturity. This is further proof of our domestic research excellence and the attractiveness of our location. Once again, we are putting Styria in the international spotlight.— Willibald Ehrenhöfer, provincial minister for economy and science

Stephen Grimm, entrepreneur and, as such, majority owner of the new company, explains:

This joint venture shows the potential that arises when research and entrepreneurship are consistently brought together. Our goal is to develop a solution that creates measurable added value in real operational situations.— Stephen Grimm, majority owner of Lagebild.one

Heinz Mayer, managing director of Joanneum Research, adds:

Lagebild.one is a prime example of successful applied research – the transfer of technology development into commercial application. This spin-off is the largest in the history of Joanneum Research. That succeeds when the right partners work together.— Heinz Mayer, managing director of Joanneum Research

Management and funding

Raffael Dreiher, an experienced IT manager, takes over as managing director of Lagebild.one.

KISecAssist was coordinated by Joanneum Research. The project was funded and financed through KIRAS, a programme of the Federal Ministry of Finance; it was administered by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency.

Grimm comes from the USA and is an entrepreneur and technology developer. He founded DroneCorps GmbH and heads it as managing director. The company develops software and systems engineering solutions for autonomous drone operations.