Varun Sarwal

Varun Sarwal is a British-Indian computer scientist and drone technology specialist with a decade of hands-on experience building UAV software systems before founding Hammer Missions. He studied at the University of Bristol and went on to work as an engineer at Accelerated Dynamics, where he developed expertise in autonomous systems. A fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering's Enterprise Hub and a recipient of grant funding from Ordnance Survey, Sarwal brings both technical depth and commercial drive to the drone inspection space.

In 2019, Sarwal founded Hammer Missions in London, building an end-to-end AI software platform that enables owners, architects, engineers and contractors to inspect built structures using drones. The platform automates the entire inspection workflow — from flight planning and data capture through to AI-powered 3D modelling, defect detection and report generation — reducing the time and cost of building assessments while improving safety compliance under the UK's Building Safety Act.

Hammer Missions has been deployed across more than 20,000 drone flights and 5,000 projects, working with leading AEC firms including Thornton Thomasetti and SGH in the US. In April 2025, Sarwal secured £1.4 million in funding led by ACF Investors, with participation from senior figures across geospatial technology and energy infrastructure. The funding is being used to accelerate AI development and expand Hammer Missions into the North American market.