Founded by active-duty Swedish firefighters, UA Vision Nordic is taking a real-world problem—lack of visibility in high-risk environments—and solving it with a new breed of AI-powered tech. Their flagship product, MEV-Cam, is a multi-sensor platform that lets emergency and defence personnel see through smoke and darkness without being overwhelmed by heat or flames.
“Our platform features AI-enhanced vision, real-time victim identification, and early warning for hazards, all optimised for dense smoke, darkness, and chaotic environments,” said co-founder Marcus Aronsson.
“The system is built by frontline firefighters, with real-world needs at its core – not just lab assumptions. Our roadmap extends far beyond fire and rescue, targeting arctic warfare, urban combat zones, and high-risk industrial environments where visibility and rapid decision-making are critical.”
After strong feedback during live fire exercises in Sweden—where one firefighter called the system “badass sci-fi”—the team is now preparing to scale globally. The startup is aiming at dual-use: frontline rescue operations and modern warfare.
MEV-Cam combines multiple sensor types, AI-enhanced vision, and real-time detection of both victims and hazards like flashovers or collapsing structures. The result is a system that doesn’t just show thermal images but fuses them with other data to give first responders a much clearer picture—literally and tactically. In short, it’s a heads-up display for emergency situations that gives firefighters access to more data than they’d have with just their eyes and radios alone.
UA Vision Nordic was founded by three active firefighters: Aronsson, a 25-year veteran with deep expertise in UAVs and EU emergency response; Andreas Eriksson, a certified thermographer and drone pilot; and Peter Orrestrand, a trainer and expert in operational tactics.
Bootstrapped but Growing
Currently operating on Swedish innovation grants, the company is preparing for a seed round. Funding will go toward scaling their AI and software capabilities, running pilot projects with rescue and defence agencies, and securing their IP.
They’ve already logged successful field tests with Swedish fire departments and are in discussions with stakeholders like FOI (Swedish Defence Research Agency), Chalmers, Winguard, and the National Center for Civil Protection Innovation. All have flagged the platform as a strong dual-use technology with high societal value.
The MEV-Cam Difference
While most players focus on thermal imaging alone, UA Vision Nordic is building a full-stack vision system. Their platform blends data from multiple sensors to produce real-time, AI-processed visuals that can spot people and hazards even in near-zero visibility.
It can be handheld, worn, drone-mounted, or integrated into ground robots. That flexibility, along with its battlefield-tested design, makes it relevant for not just rescue teams but also arctic warfare, urban combat, and industrial disaster response.
The idea was born after the founders experienced life-threatening incidents where poor visibility led to lost lives and ineffective rescues. “We knew the gear wasn’t good enough,” Aronsson said. “So we built what we needed.”
Their goal now is clear: to bring life-saving vision and decision-making tools to those working in the world’s most dangerous environments.
