Verge Aero
Verge Aero builds an integrated drone light show platform, combining proprietary X7 drone hardware with Design Studio software (including a new AI Design Tool), and sells turnkey systems starting at $75,000 to professional event operators and marquee entertainment, sports, and retail customers globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersPhiladelphia, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Verge Aero does
Verge Aero (legal entity Verge, Inc.) is a US-based drone technology company founded in 2015 that builds an integrated hardware-and-software platform for designing and executing commercial drone light shows. Its product stack consists of three tightly coupled components: Design Studio, a software platform for authoring aerial shows that recently added an AI Design Tool for generative visual content; the X7 Drone, a purpose-built airframe engineered specifically for light show operations; and 24/7/365 global support services delivered alongside the hardware. The platform is sold as a turnkey drone show system with a stated minimum investment of $75,000 per operator, targeting professional event production companies, fireworks operators transitioning to sustainable alternatives, and marquee sports and entertainment brands that commission shows through the Verge Powered Network of operators.
The business operates a sales-led, direct enterprise GTM motion with multi-step qualification forms that capture production background and investment capacity, complemented by industry event presence (ISE Barcelona 2026) and active social channels. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time hardware-plus-software fleet sales, with secondary managed-service revenue from show booking and facilitation through the Verge Powered Network. Marquee end-customer showcases include Sphere Entertainment, the Philadelphia Eagles, the University of Texas Longhorns, and Macy's, which function as case-study demand-generation assets. The company employs between 11 and 50 people, has raised approximately $4.0M in disclosed equity funding (notably a $3.9M round led by eLab Ventures in September 2022 plus a $100K Ben Franklin seed), and operates across North America with global service reach. In early 2026 it received FCC Conditional Approval for its drone systems through December 31, 2026, addressing a key regulatory bottleneck for fleet deployment in the US market.
Verge Aero firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Verge Aero
- Legal name
- Verge, Inc.
- Website
- https://vergeaero.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Verge Aero builds an integrated drone light show platform, combining proprietary X7 drone hardware with Design Studio software (including a new AI Design Tool), and sells turnkey systems starting at $75,000 to professional event operators and marquee entertainment, sports, and retail customers globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Verge Aero industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Drone Light Show Systems
- NAICS
- Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)
- SIC
- Aircraft (3721), Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Consumer Non-Imaging Drones (Toy/FPV, Racing, Delivery/Utility) (CRACARAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Drones & UAV Retail (Consumer & Prosumer) (CRACAHAC), UAS Ground Control Stations (GCS) & Remote Operations Infrastructure (IMABAIAL)
Keywords
Where Verge Aero is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Philadelphia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Verge Aero business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Drone Show System Sales: Sale of integrated hardware (X7 drones) and software (Design Studio) platforms to drone show operators. Minimum investment of $75,000 USD indicates high-ticket hardware and software package sales.
- Drone Show Services: The company facilitates booking drone shows through its network, suggesting a marketplace or service facilitation revenue model alongside direct system sales.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Professional Drone Show System |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Verge Aero product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Verge Aero designs, manufactures, and sells an integrated drone light show system that combines proprietary X7 purpose-built drones with Design Studio, an AI-powered software platform for designing and executing aerial displays. The company sells this turnkey solution directly to professional drone show operators, event production companies, and fireworks operators, with a minimum investment of $75,000 USD, and supplements it with 24/7/365 support and the Verge Powered Network for booking shows.
Product overview
Verge Aero offers a unified turnkey drone light show platform comprising Design Studio software (AI-powered creative tools for designing aerial displays) and the X7 Drone (purpose-built hardware optimized for light shows). The system integrates software, hardware, and support services under one roof, enabling users to design, execute, and manage drone shows of all sizes through a tightly coupled technology stack.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Design Studio: AI-powered drone show design software that enables users to create and execute aerial shows
- X7 Drone
- Verge Powered Network
- Success Network
Products and services
- Design Studio
Quantifiable outcome
- First production vehicle with solid-state battery
Companies that use Verge Aero
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Verge Aero technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature5 records
Verge Aero partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Sphere EntertainmentcoreSphere Entertainment partnered with Verge Aero for drone light shows, notably for July 4th celebrations in Las Vegas. This high-profile partnership demonstrates Verge Aero's capability to execute large-scale entertainment events.
- Philadelphia EaglescorePhiladelphia Eagles utilized Verge Aero's drone show technology for their NFC Championship celebration. The partnership showcases drone displays for professional sports entertainment.
- University of Texas LonghornscoreUniversity of Texas Longhorns partnered with Verge Aero for athletic event drone displays, bringing drone light show entertainment to college sports audiences.
- Macy'scoreMacy's utilized Verge Aero's drone technology for their July 4th drone show in NYC, providing an alternative to traditional fireworks displays.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Verge Aero competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- EHang: Chinese autonomous aerial vehicle company with drone swarm light show capabilities demonstrated globally. Operates in the broader UAS market and could compete in drone shows at scale.
- DJI: World's largest consumer and commercial drone manufacturer. While not focused on drone shows, DJI's scale and component ecosystem could enable entry into the drone show market, posing a long-term competitive threat to Verge Aero's hardware moat.
- Skydio: US-based autonomous drone manufacturer focused on commercial and enterprise applications. Potential competitor if it expands into aerial display or light show market segments.
Direct peers
- Sky Elements: One of the largest US drone light show companies, operating its own fleet and executing shows for major events. Direct competitor to Verge Aero in the professional drone show services and fleet sales market.
- Verity Studios: Swiss-based autonomous drone company specializing in indoor drone shows and live entertainment. Directly comparable technology platform and customer base (live entertainment, events, brand activations).
- Firefly Drones: Drone show operator offering both show services and fleet sales in North America. Competes with Verge Aero in the professional drone show market with similar turnkey offerings.
- Celestial Drone Shows: UK-based drone show operator and provider serving events across Europe. Comparable business model combining show services and fleet deployment for enterprise customers.
- The Drone Light Show Company: US-based drone light show operator and provider offering turnkey aerial display services for events. Competes with Verge Aero for enterprise event customers and operator fleet sales.
Regional players
- Great Lakes Drone Company: Regional US drone show operator providing aerial display services primarily in the Midwest. Comparable show execution model to Verge Aero's customer operators, though with smaller fleet and regional focus.
Emerging players
- Pyrotecnico: Large US fireworks and special effects company that has begun offering drone show services. Represents the fireworks-to-drone transition customer segment that Verge Aero targets, while also becoming a potential competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Verge Aero social profiles
Digital presenceVerge Aero financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Verge Aero leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Verge Aero funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Verge Aero M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Verge Aero
What does Verge Aero do?
Verge Aero designs, manufactures, and sells an integrated drone light show system that combines proprietary X7 purpose-built drones with Design Studio, an AI-powered software platform for designing and executing aerial displays. The company sells this turnkey solution directly to professional drone show operators, event production companies, and fireworks operators, with a minimum investment of $75,000 USD, and supplements it with 24/7/365 support and the Verge Powered Network for booking shows.
Is Verge Aero a public or private company?
Verge Aero is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Verge Aero founded?
Verge Aero was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Verge Aero based?
Verge Aero is headquartered in Philadelphia, United States, in the North America region.
How does Verge Aero make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Drone Show System Sales are the primary driver. The others are drone Show Services.
Who are Verge Aero's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are EHang, DJI and Skydio. Direct peers are Sky Elements, Verity Studios, Firefly Drones, Celestial Drone Shows and The Drone Light Show Company. Great Lakes Drone Company is listed as a regional player. Pyrotecnico is listed as an emerging player.
Does Verge Aero have an API?
No public API is recorded for Verge Aero.
What industry is Verge Aero in?
Verge Aero's product category is Drone Light Show Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRACARAH, Consumer Non-Imaging Drones (Toy/FPV, Racing, Delivery/Utility), with a secondary code of CRACAHAC, Drones & UAV Retail (Consumer & Prosumer). Its NAICS code is 336413 and its SIC code is 3721.