Lucid Bots
Lucid Bots, founded in 2018 and headquartered in Charlotte, NC, designs and manufactures purpose-built commercial cleaning drones (Sherpa) and autonomous ground pressure-washing robots (Lavo Bot / Lavo AI), selling and subscribing them through a 400+ operator network across 40+ U.S. states for exterior building, window, facade, and industrial surface cleaning.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersCharlotte, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Lucid Bots does
Lucid Bots, Inc. is a Charlotte, North Carolina-based robotics manufacturer founded in 2018 by Andrew Ashur that designs, assembles, and supports purpose-built autonomous systems for commercial exterior cleaning and surface maintenance. Its flagship product is the Sherpa cleaning drone — a domain-specific aerial pressure-washing platform (up to 4,500 PSI, 300+ sq ft/min, 150-ft vertical reach) with dual 12S1P battery redundancy, radar-based obstacle avoidance, a fully waterproof airframe, and an optional Power Tether for continuous flight. The company expanded in 2025 with Lavo Bot, an autonomous ground pressure-washing robot whose Lavo AI variant uses NVIDIA edge compute to clean up to 6,000 sq ft/hour. The July 2024 acquisition of Avianna added natural-language voice and chat control to the Sherpa platform, while Lucid Command provides fleet management, telemetry, and over-the-air software updates.
Lucid Bots sells and subscribes its robots to a network of 400+ independent commercial cleaning operators across 40+ U.S. states (with deployments on 3 continents), who in turn deliver drone and robot cleaning services to end customers. Revenue is generated through a hybrid model: outright hardware purchases ($45,750-$57,250 Sherpa bundles plus Power Tether and trailer add-ons), the Lucid Refresh Robotics-as-a-Service subscription ($2,950-$5,000/month across three tiers), and recurring consumables/software (Lucid Clear+ solution, parts via lucidbots.shop, Lucid Suite at $500-$700/month). End-customer end markets include commercial property managers, universities, healthcare facilities, hotels, government/venues, construction/industrial coating contractors (e.g., VEMAC), and solar maintenance providers, with named enterprise logos including Sunbelt Rentals and Disney.
The business is venture-backed (Y Combinator, $34M total raised including a March 2026 $20M Series B co-led by Cubit Capital and Idea Fund Partners), employs approximately 70 people, manufactured ~1,000 robots cumulatively, and reports 2025 revenue of over $10M (doubled YoY) with a public target of $100M within three years. Operators using Lucid Bots systems have generated $75M+ in cleaning-service revenue and completed 6,500+ jobs, with 43 operators having crossed $100K in lifetime revenue.
Lucid Bots firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lucid Bots
- Legal name
- Lucid Bots, Inc.
- Website
- https://lucidbots.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Lucid Bots, founded in 2018 and headquartered in Charlotte, NC, designs and manufactures purpose-built commercial cleaning drones (Sherpa) and autonomous ground pressure-washing robots (Lavo Bot / Lavo AI), selling and subscribing them through a 400+ operator network across 40+ U.S. states for exterior building, window, facade, and industrial surface cleaning.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lucid Bots industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Cleaning Robotics
- NAICS
- Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing (33392), Janitorial Services (56172)
- SIC
- Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Window & Surface Cleaning Robots (CRACARAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Window, Façade & High-Rise Exterior Cleaning (IMAIADAK), Robot Software, Autonomy Stacks & Simulation (ROS, digital twins) (HDAAAIAK), Service & Hospitality Robots (HDAAAIAB)
Keywords
Where Lucid Bots is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Charlotte
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Lucid Bots business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Subscription (Lucid Refresh): Recurring monthly subscription for the Sherpa Drone system with three tiers — Refresh Launch ($2,950/mo), Refresh Growth ($3,500/mo), and Refresh Scale ($5,000/mo). Includes drone, batteries, chargers, software, training, and tiered payload access. No long-term commitment; lowest-risk entry for new operators.
- Hardware Outright Purchase: One-time hardware purchase of Sherpa Drone Cleaning Bundle ($45,750) or Window Bundle ($57,250), with optional Power Tether add-on ($17,600) and Midwest Rig Trailer ($23,499–$25,499). Most buyers finance at approximately $3,500/month.
- Parts, Accessories & Software Subscription: Recurring revenue from consumables (Lucid Clear+ cleaning solution at ~$50–100 per job), replacement parts sold through the lucidbots.shop e-commerce storefront, and Lucid Suite software fees ($500–$700/month for outright-purchase customers).
- Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) Transition: Funded transition from outright-purchase and subscription hardware to a full Robotics-as-a-Service model (Lucid Refresh subscription platform), with a target of $100 million in revenue within three years. Operators pay recurring fees for hardware, software, training, and support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Refresh Launch — entry-level drone subscription |
| Subscription | Monthly | Refresh Growth — mid-tier drone subscription |
| Subscription | Monthly | Refresh Scale — top-tier drone subscription |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Sherpa Outright Purchase — Cleaning Bundle |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Sherpa Outright Purchase — Window Bundle |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Power Tether Add-On |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Midwest Rig Trailer Add-On |
| Subscription | Monthly | Lucid Suite Software (Standalone) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Drone Cleaning Service Pricing (Operator-Facing) |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels12 records
Lucid Bots product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lucid Bots manufactures and sells autonomous robotic systems for commercial exterior cleaning, anchored by the Sherpa Drone — a purpose-built aerial pressure-washing and window-cleaning drone — and the Lavo Bot, an autonomous ground-based pressure-washing robot. The company sells hardware outright, offers a Robotics-as-a-Service subscription platform (Lucid Refresh) with three tiers, and supports operators with the Lucid Suite operating software, Lucid Command fleet management platform, and add-on modules such as the Power Tether for continuous flight. The platform targets exterior cleaning contractors, building service contractors, property managers, and facility maintenance teams who need to clean 5–10+ story buildings faster, safer, and at lower cost than lift and scaffold methods.
Product overview
Lucid Bots operates a robotics platform composed of complementary aerial and ground products that together address the full exterior commercial cleaning workflow. The Sherpa Drone is the flagship aerial cleaning and window-washing drone, the most widely deployed commercial cleaning drone in North America; the Lavo Bot and Lavo AI are the autonomous ground-based pressure washing robots, with Lavo AI powered by NVIDIA edge compute for full autonomy. Both robotic systems are offered via the Lucid Refresh Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) subscription platform (Launch, Growth, and Scale tiers) and supported by add-on modules including the Power Tether (continuous flight power) and Shield, plus the Lucid Suite operating software and Lucid Command fleet management platform. Acquired AI capabilities from Avianna layer natural-language voice and chat control onto the Sherpa Drone, and Sherpa Academy provides training and FAA Part 107 certification prep — together creating a vertically integrated hardware-plus-software-plus-services offering for the exterior cleaning and construction industries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Sherpa: Commercial cleaning and window-washing drone (also referenced as Sherpa Drone) — purpose-built aerial pressure washing drone for exterior building maintenance, including soft washing, high-pressure washing (up to 4,500 PSI), and window cleaning applications.
- Lavo Bot
- Lucid Refresh
- Lucid Command
Products and services
- Sherpa Drone The purpose-built commercial cleaning and window-washing drone for exterior building maintenance, sold to exterior cleaning contractors and operators. Delivers up to 4,500 PSI high-pressure washing at 300+ sq ft per minute, supports soft washing (~300 PSI) and interchangeable window cleaning and spraying payloads, and reaches up to 150 ft vertically with ~19 minutes of flight time per battery cycle. Equipped with dual 12S1P battery redundancy with autoland, radar-based obstacle avoidance, and a waterproof airframe with automatic water/chemical shutoff.
- Lavo Bot Autonomous ground-based robotic pressure washer addressing ground-level commercial cleaning for concrete, asphalt, parking structures, sidewalks, and other flat surfaces. Uses patent-pending autonomous technology that enables operations to move up to 70% faster and pairs with the Sherpa Drone to cover a full site without dedicating a human to every surface. Integrates with commercial pressure washing rigs up to 4,500 PSI.
- Lavo Bot AI (Lavo AI) The fully autonomous variant of the Lavo Bot, powered by NVIDIA edge compute technology, that cleans up to 6,000 sq ft per hour and integrates with commercial pressure washing rigs up to 4,500 PSI. Early adopters report operating expense reductions of 40% or more in facility maintenance operations.
- Lucid Refresh (Robotics-as-a-Service Subscription) Robotics-as-a-Service subscription platform providing recurring access to the Sherpa Drone system, with three pricing tiers (Launch $2,950/month, Growth $3,500/month, Scale $5,000/month) bundling the drone, batteries, chargers, Lucid Suite software, data plan, training, and tiered payload access. No long-term commitment, designed as the lowest-risk entry for new operators. The company has set a target of $100M in revenue within three years as it transitions fully to this model.
- Power Tether Optional continuous power supply module for the Sherpa Drone that keeps it airborne indefinitely from a ground power source, eliminating the battery-management portion of the operator's day and enabling continuous long-duration cleaning jobs. Operators report reducing a 1.5-day job to 5–6 hours and covering 3–4x more area per continuous run. Sold for $17,600 outright or bundled in the Refresh Scale subscription tier.
- Shield Protective module for the Sherpa Drone platform listed as a standalone hardware add-on in the company's products navigation.
- Lucid Command Connected fleet management software platform providing flight data tracking, job logging, remote diagnostics, and over-the-air software updates from a single dashboard, enabling operators to monitor multiple Sherpa units and ensuring drones improve over time. Bundled with Refresh Growth and Scale subscription tiers.
- Lucid Suite Operating software for the Sherpa Drone, sold standalone at $500–$700/month to outright-purchase customers and included in all Lucid Refresh subscription tiers. Provides flight control, operator workflows, and integration with Lucid Command.
- Avianna AI (Natural-Language Robot Control) AI software capability acquired through the July 2024 acquisition of Avianna that enables robots to understand human language and operate autonomously through natural-language voice commands and chat, integrated into the Sherpa Drone platform.
Quantifiable outcome
- Sherpa drones average 1.9x faster cleaning than traditional methods, up to 8x faster on some jobs
- +10 more outcomes
Companies that use Lucid Bots
Customer profileNamed customers24 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Lucid Bots technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature8 records
Lucid Bots partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators14 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Lucid Bots competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- DJI: DJI is the world's largest commercial and consumer drone manufacturer. While DJI does not currently make purpose-built cleaning drones, its platforms (Matrice, Agras) are the most likely DIY and OEM alternative that competes with or could be modified to mimic Lucid Bots' Sherpa drone cleaning capability.
- Skydio: Skydio is a leading U.S.-manufactured autonomous drone maker focused on commercial and public-sector applications (inspection, surveying, defense). It is comparable to Lucid Bots as a domestic drone OEM with autonomy-first design, and benefits from the same Made-in-USA regulatory tailwinds that favor the Sherpa Drone.
- Kärcher: Kärcher is the global market leader in professional cleaning equipment, including pressure washers and facade cleaning systems. It is comparable as a broad incumbent in commercial cleaning machinery and represents the established alternative that Lucid Bots' Sherpa and Lavo products must displace or complement.
- Husqvarna Group: Husqvarna is the leader in robotic lawn mowers (Automower) and a broader outdoor robotics player. It is comparable to Lucid Bots as an established manufacturer of autonomous outdoor service robots sold through contractor and prosumer channels, providing a benchmark for scaling robotic outdoor service products.
- Ecovacs: Ecovacs is a major Chinese consumer robotics company offering robotic vacuums, window cleaners (Winbot), and air-purification robots. It is comparable to Lucid Bots as a broad competitor in consumer and prosumer cleaning robotics, particularly relevant in the window-cleaning robot category.
- iRobot: iRobot pioneered consumer robotic vacuum cleaners (Roomba) and is the established incumbent in autonomous cleaning robots. It is comparable to Lucid Bots as a category-defining cleaning robotics brand, though its consumer focus contrasts with Lucid Bots' B2B commercial cleaning positioning.
Direct peers
- Serbot: Serbot (Switzerland) builds professional window and facade cleaning robots such as the Gekko and CleanAnt. It competes directly with Lucid Bots in commercial exterior cleaning robots for at-height and high-rise applications, serving property managers and cleaning contractors globally.
- Skyline Robotics: Skyline Robotics develops the Ozmo, a robotic system for automated window cleaning of high-rise buildings. It is the most direct competitor to Lucid Bots' window-cleaning drone capability, serving a similar building services contractor customer base and competing for the same at-height window-cleaning workflow.
- KITE Robotics: KITE Robotics develops automated window cleaning robots (e.g., KITE Robo) for high-rise and commercial buildings. It directly overlaps Lucid Bots' window-cleaning payload offering and targets the same property management and facility services customer segments.
Others
- Boston Dynamics: Boston Dynamics develops advanced autonomous mobile robots (Spot, Stretch) for industrial inspection and warehouse logistics. It is thematically comparable to Lucid Bots as a U.S.-headquartered autonomy-first robotics company leveraging AI and edge compute, but addresses different end markets (inspection/logistics vs. exterior cleaning).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Lucid Bots social profiles
Digital presenceLucid Bots compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Lucid Bots financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lucid Bots leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Lucid Bots subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Lucid Bots funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds8 records
Investors13 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lucid Bots M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lucid Bots
What does Lucid Bots do?
Lucid Bots manufactures and sells autonomous robotic systems for commercial exterior cleaning, anchored by the Sherpa Drone — a purpose-built aerial pressure-washing and window-cleaning drone — and the Lavo Bot, an autonomous ground-based pressure-washing robot. The company sells hardware outright, offers a Robotics-as-a-Service subscription platform (Lucid Refresh) with three tiers, and supports operators with the Lucid Suite operating software, Lucid Command fleet management platform, and add-on modules such as the Power Tether for continuous flight. The platform targets exterior cleaning contractors, building service contractors, property managers, and facility maintenance teams who need to clean 5–10+ story buildings faster, safer, and at lower cost than lift and scaffold methods.
Is Lucid Bots a public or private company?
Lucid Bots is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Lucid Bots founded?
Lucid Bots was founded in 2018. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Lucid Bots based?
Lucid Bots is headquartered in Charlotte, United States, in the North America region.
How does Lucid Bots make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Subscription (Lucid Refresh) is the primary driver. The others are hardware Outright Purchase, parts, Accessories & Software Subscription and robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) Transition.
Who are Lucid Bots's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are DJI, Skydio, Kärcher, Husqvarna Group, Ecovacs and iRobot. Direct peers are Serbot, Skyline Robotics and KITE Robotics. Boston Dynamics is listed as an others.
Does Lucid Bots have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lucid Bots.
What industry is Lucid Bots in?
Lucid Bots's product category is Commercial Cleaning Robotics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRACARAD, Window & Surface Cleaning Robots, with a secondary code of IMAIADAK, Window, Façade & High-Rise Exterior Cleaning. Its NAICS code is 33392 and its SIC code is 3530.