California's Top 24 Drone Manufacturers
California's Top 24 Drone Manufacturers
The drone manufacturing industry in California is a dynamic, forward-thinking sector aiming to redefine our way of living and working. With a range of applications that span from recreation to industrial use, companies inside this domain often specialize in creating high-performing unmanned aircraft that can accomplish a variety of tasks efficiently. As technology evolves, these companies continue to push boundaries and pioneer new frontiers, integrating advanced features into their products, such as flexible payloads, superior range, and customizable capabilities. To get a sense of this innovative industry's potential, let's delve into some of the top drone manufacturers from the Golden State.
Top 24 drone manufacturers in California
1. Volansi
- Website: volansi.com
- Headquarters: Concord, California, United States
- Founded: 2015
- Headcount: 51-200
- Latest funding type: Acquired
Volansi is a company that offers unmanned, multirole, VTOL aircraft with superior flight range and flexible payloads.
2. FlightWave Aerospace
- Website: flightwave.aero
- Headquarters: Santa Monica, California, United States
- Founded: 2014
- Headcount: 51-200
- Latest funding type: Seed
FlightWave Aerospace Systems is a provider of unmanned aerial systems that can fly like airplanes and hover like helicopters. They offer advanced technology and customizable payloads for a variety of industries.
3. Inspired Flight Technologies Inc.
- Website: inspiredflight.com
- Headquarters: San Luis Obispo, California, United States
- Founded: 2016
- Headcount: 11-50
Inspired Flight is a manufacturer of American-made drones and integrated support systems that maximize fly time and value delivery while minimizing operating costs and downtime.
4. Enterprise UAS
- Website: enterpriseuas.com
- Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Founded: 2015
- Headcount: 11-50
- Latest funding type: Seed
Enterprise UAS is a company that provides commercial and enterprise unmanned aerial systems (UAS) solutions. They offer a wide range of products and personalized services to help clients adopt and scale UAS technology.
5. LaunchPoint Electric Propulsion Solutions, Inc.
- Website: launchpointeps.com
- Headquarters: Goleta, California, United States
- Founded: 1992
- Headcount: 11-50
- Latest funding type: Seed
LaunchPoint Electric Propulsion Solutions, Inc. is an aerospace propulsion company specializing in optimizing flight solutions for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and Advanced Air Mobility markets. Their highly efficient electric machines and gensets, controlled by SmartPoint™ software, power drones in the 1.5 kW to 40 kW range and air mobility applications in the 40 kW to 250 kW range. They consult with global Fortune 500 companies, aerospace, defense, automotive, and air vehicle integrators to design and manufacture the best propulsion and power generation systems for their applications.
6. Uav-rc
- Website: uav-rc.com
- Headquarters: La Puente, California, United States
- Headcount: 11-50
UAV-RC offers high-quality drones and remote control aircrafts for hobbyists and professionals alike.
7. Avion UAV (YC W20)
- Website: avionuas.com
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
- Founded: 2018
- Headcount: 11-50
Avionuas.com is a company offering unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and drones for commercial and industrial use.
8. Sabrewing Aircraft Company
- Website: sabrewingaircraft.com
- Headquarters: Camarillo, California, United States
- Founded: 2016
- Headcount: 11-50
Sabrewing Aircraft Company is an aviation company based in California that designs and builds cargo UAVs for the efficient transportation of goods.
9. AEE Technology Inc
- Website: aeeusa.com
- Headquarters: San Marcos, California, United States
- Founded: 1999
- Headcount: 11-50
AEE Aviation Technology, Inc. is a technology company that provides drones and related accessories to customers.
10. Hexo+
- Website: hexoplus.com
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
- Founded: 2014
- Headcount: 11-50
- Latest funding type: Seed
Hexo+ is a self-flying camera drone that lets users create amazing aerial videos of themselves with just a few taps on their smartphone. The drone is fast and responsive with a 3-axis gimbal, predictive tracking algorithms, and a camera movement-packed mobile app, allowing for beautiful, perfectly framed, and stabilized aerial images. Hexo+ takes the hassle out of aerial filming while making it fun and easy for users to film themselves.
11. Catalyst Aerospace Technologies
- Website: ctlst.tech
- Headquarters: Walnut, California, United States
- Founded: 2019
- Headcount: 11-50
- Latest funding type: Pre Seed
Catalyst Aerospace Technologies provides certifiable autopilot solutions for unmanned systems, with hardware and software-agnostic design. Their services include telemetry transmission, logging, and visualizing.
12. UAV Skies
- Website: uavskies.com
- Headquarters: Danville, California, United States
- Founded: 2019
- Headcount: 11-50
UAV Skies is an autonomous aerial vehicle (UAV) company with over 10 years experience in customizing and designing aerial vehicles for inspection services, aerial mapping, package delivery and industrial drone control. They offer custom UAV design and development, electronic design, mechanical CAD/CAM, 3D printing and laser cutting services to their customers.
13. Sky Rider Ultralight
- Website: skyrider-ul.com
- Headquarters: Camarillo, California, United States
- Headcount: 11-50
Skyrider-ul.com offers solutions in the field of unmanned aviation systems for various industries including agriculture, construction and infrastructure management.
14. Swift Tactical Systems
- Website: swifttacticalsystems.com
- Headquarters: San Clemente, California, United States
- Founded: 2019
- Headcount: 11-50
Swift Tactical Systems provides turn-key unmanned systems and services for militaries, governments, municipalities, and commercial use. They offer unmanned ISR operations, infrastructure monitoring, emergency response, environmental monitoring, and maintenance & repair services.
15. Kratos Defense and Security Solutions
- Website: kratosdefense.com
- Headquarters: San Diego, California, United States
- Founded: 1994
- Headcount: 1001-5000
- Latest funding type: Grant
Kratos Defense is a company that specializes in providing training systems, simulation systems, and engineering services. They also offer a range of products including UAVs, microwave electronics, and space systems.
16. UAVs@Berkeley
- Website: uav.berkeley.edu
- Headquarters: Berkeley, California, United States
- Founded: 2015
- Headcount: 51-200
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles at Berkeley (UAVs@Berkeley) is a student organization dedicated to providing a central resource for all topics related to drones at UC Berkeley. By providing a resource-rich organization for UC Berkeley students interested in designing, building, and flying UAVs for a multitude of purposes, we hope to incite collaboration across multiple engineering disciplines. Students will be encouraged to step out of their comfort zone and learn new skills by working on project teams with other majors. Activities include a range of aerial photography/videography projects, academic research projects, and racing competitions. Other goals include: teaching basic, intermediate, and advanced courses in flying, operating, and controlling UAVs organizing and setting up events for UAV flying meet-ups and outreach opportunities and creating an open space for all UAV enthusiasts, engineers, and flyers to collaborate and create new and rich experiences through the use of UAVs. Above all, UAVs@Berkeley seeks to bring the capabilities and potential of unmanned aerial vehicles to the minds and hands of students, engineers and the public alike.
17. UAV Systems Association (UAVSA)
- Website: uavsa.org
- Headquarters: Beverly Hills, California, United States
- Founded: 2014
- Headcount: 11-50
UAVSA is an organization that publishes news and resources related to drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). They offer information on regulations, industry developments, and technology advancements in the drone space.
18. Advexure
- Website: advexure.com
- Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Founded: 2012
- Headcount: 11-50
Advexure is a drone and gimbal reseller, offering a wide variety of drones, cameras and other accessories for commercial uses and hobbyists alike.
19. PolyExplore Inc.
- Website: polyexplore.com
- Headquarters: San Jose, California, United States
- Founded: 2016
- Headcount: 11-50
PolyExplore Inc. is a company that specializes in mobile sensor fusion solutions, offering products such as the PolyNav 2000S that features ultra-high-performance GNSS-aided MEMS Inertial Navigation System. They also provide flexible Aerial HD mapping systems and data collection solutions.
20. Skycatch
- Website: skycatch.com
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
- Founded: 2013
- Headcount: 51-200
- Latest funding type: Series C
Skycatch provides aerial data capture automation, processing, visualization, and analysis tools for enterprise solutions. They offer onboarding, training, and support services, and are used by many of the world's largest companies across all their work sites.
21. Oceans Unmanned
- Website: oceansunmanned.org
- Headquarters: Santa Barbara, California, United States
- Headcount: 1-10
Oceans Unmanned is developing new techniques to survey rugged coastlines and remote marine areas by utilizing UAS to support a variety of environmental research and monitoring projects. Current projects include New England Grey Seal Survey, Hawaii Humpback Whale Research, Sacramento River Habitat Mapping, and Oregon State University Seabird Research.
22. EagleLens Photography
- Website: eaglelensphotography.com
- Headquarters: El Cajon, California, United States
- Founded: 2013
- Headcount: 1-10
Since 2013, we have led the industry in aerial photography and cinematography services based out of San Diego, CA. We specialize in Real Estate, Sporting Events, Private Events, Inspections, and much more. Our purpose is to deliver innovative solutions to our customers and to offer the highest quality services and solutions that enable a business’ success.
23. Vertworx
- Website: vertworx.com
- Headquarters: Sacramento, California, United States
- Founded: 2013
- Headcount: 1-10
VertWorx is full-service aerial cinematography production company with over 100 years of combined aviation and cinematic experience. We are a one-stop-shop able to take your project from conception to completion. Our combination of experienced professionals combined with the latest technology will capture your vision and bring your concepts to life. With years of experience we are experts at creating beautiful aerial cinematography. We craft our shots with purpose and thought while maximizing the capabilities of our team and technology. We film both aerial and ground footage, build and pilot customized drones, fly inspection and precision agriculture missions and create geospatial maps. At VertWorx we proudly use state-of-the-art equipment including: Alta Freefly Systems, Movi, DJI and Red Cameras Contact us today at (310) 866-0318 to discuss your next project.
24. Mothership Aeronautics
- Website: mothership.aero
- Headquarters: San Mateo, California, United States
- Founded: 2016
- Headcount: 1-10
- Latest funding type: Seed
Mothership Aeronautics focuses in developing aircraft by combining lighter-than-air lifting technologies with high power density photovoltaics.
Want to find more drone manufacturers?
If you want to find more companies that offer high-tech products such as multirole, unmanned drones with superior flight range, and customizable payoloads you can do so with Inven. This list was built with Inven and there are hundreds of companies like these globally.
With Inven you'll also get to know the company's:
- Ownership: Which of these are private equity backed? Which are family-owned?
- Contact data: Who are the owners and CEO's? What are their emails and phone numbers?
- Financials: How do these companies perform financially? What are their revenues and profit margins?
...and a lot more!
