Lunasonde
Lunasonde is a Tucson, Arizona-based company that has developed Aerial Georadiotomography (aGRT), a proprietary low-frequency airborne radar system producing 3D subsurface imaging to ~2 km depth. It sells aerial survey services to mining, defense, and space exploration customers to detect buried mineral deposits, tunnels, and planetary resources.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersCortaro, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Lunasonde firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lunasonde
- Legal name
- Lunasonde Inc.
- Website
- https://lunasonde.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Lunasonde is a Tucson, Arizona-based company that has developed Aerial Georadiotomography (aGRT), a proprietary low-frequency airborne radar system producing 3D subsurface imaging to ~2 km depth. It sells aerial survey services to mining, defense, and space exploration customers to detect buried mineral deposits, tunnels, and planetary resources.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Lunasonde is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cortaro
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Lunasonde business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Aerial Survey Services: Lunasonde conducts aerial georadiotomography surveys for mining companies and defense organizations, providing high-resolution subsurface imaging data. Surveys are priced per project based on area coverage and complexity, with initial test and calibration flights followed by full deployment.
- Technology Licensing: The company licenses its proprietary aGRT technology and data processing capabilities. Focus on partnership terms that reflect early-mover relationships rather than established market rates.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Lunasonde product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lunasonde provides Aerial Georadiotomography (aGRT) airborne survey services that deploy low-frequency radio wave technology from airplanes, helicopters, drones, and balloons to generate 3D compositional images of the subsurface to depths of approximately 2 kilometers. The company delivers three primary survey service lines — mineral exploration surveys (targeting critical minerals such as copper porphyry deposits and lithium brines), defense surveys (for tunnel and subterranean infrastructure detection), and space exploration surveys (planetary subsurface mapping) — using its proprietary aGRT technology and the helicopter-deployed DART platform.
Product overview
Lunasonde offers a unified technology platform centered on Aerial Georadiotomography (aGRT), a proprietary airborne radar system that delivers subsurface imaging from aerial platforms including fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, drones, and balloons. The core aGRT technology serves three distinct market applications: Mineral Exploration Surveys for critical minerals (copper, lithium brines), Defense Surveys for tunnel and underground infrastructure detection, and Space Exploration Surveys for planetary subsurface mapping. The company also operates the DART helicopter platform as a deployment option for aGRT surveys. All offerings share the same foundational low-frequency radio technology that creates 3D compositional images of subsurface geology to depths approaching 2 kilometers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- aGRT (Aerial Georadiotomography) Lunasonde's proprietary airborne radar technology using low-frequency radio waves (operating at frequencies 1000x lower than traditional radar) to create 3D compositional images of the subsurface, penetrating thousands of meters below ground without ground operations or drilling. Deployed from airplanes, helicopters, drones, and balloons for enterprise customers in mining, defense, and space sectors.
- aGRT Mining Exploration Surveys Airborne subsurface surveys for mineral exploration that deliver high-resolution 3D mapping of subsurface geology, enabling identification of copper deposits, lithium brines, and other critical minerals without invasive drilling. Designed for mining exploration companies with demonstrated depth penetration approaching 2 kilometers, including specialized capability for lithium brine concentration mapping and connected aquifer system identification.
- aGRT Defense Surveys Subsurface imaging service for defense and security applications, detecting tunnels, underground bunkers, subterranean voids, and military infrastructure from aerial platforms. Supports counter-terrorism, military logistics, and border security operations for defense organizations and national security agencies that require non-invasive subsurface intelligence without ground presence.
- aGRT Space Exploration Surveys Subsurface scanning service for planetary exploration, locating water, minerals, and safe construction sites on celestial bodies without damaging pristine environments. Supports planetary resource mapping (water ice, rare minerals) and mission-critical intelligence for safe landing zones for space agencies and commercial space companies.
- DART Platform Helicopter-deployed aerial platform for aGRT surveys, featuring directional stability for the internal antenna during flight operations. Validated in operational field conditions in northeastern Utah for brine detection and void detection missions; serves as a deployment option for Lunasonde's aGRT subsurface imaging surveys.
Quantifiable outcome
- Depth penetration of ~2 kilometers compared to GPR's shallow penetration of just a few meters
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Lunasonde
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Lunasonde technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability4 records
Feature5 records
Lunasonde partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Japanese Corporate Ecosystem (Itochu, Sumitomo Corp, IHI, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries)coreLunasonde participated in JETRO Seldor Japan Trade Mission engaging with major Japanese trading houses including Itochu, Sumitomo Corp, IHI, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and the Japanese Space Agency. Japan has built a $100B+ global mining investment portfolio. Conversations underscored strong mutual interest in partnering across both mining and defense applications. Sumitomo Corporation holds a 30% stake in the Morenci mine where Lunasonde has already conducted survey work.
- Gunnison Copper Corp.flagshipCollaboration Framework Agreement to deploy proprietary Airborne Georadiotomography (aGRT) technology for initial high-resolution subsurface survey in Arizona's Cochise Mining District targeting critical minerals. The collaboration evaluates aGRT technology as a complementary exploration tool across Gunnison's land position hosting 12 known copper deposits within an 8km radius. Initial phase includes test and calibration flights over defined property portfolio.
- Blue Origin / Orbital Reef ConsortiumcoreLunasonde has partnered with Blue Origin and the Orbital Reef consortium to pursue the goal of space resources. This partnership supports Lunasonde's 20-year vision of transforming Earth into a residential-only planet while sourcing all materials from space. Platform-agnostic technology adapts from terrestrial operations to space exploration.
- Japanese Space Agency (JAXA)coreEngaged through JETRO Seldor Japan Trade Mission for strategic dialogue on critical mineral exploration and defense applications. Represents interest in adapting Lunasonde's subsurface imaging technology for planetary exploration and lunar resource mapping.
- US Department of Energy (ROCS Initiative)minorCompanies planning to jointly apply for funding under the US Department of Energy's ROCKS initiative to support critical mineral exploration technology development.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Lunasonde competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ideon Technologies: Ideon Technologies provides subsurface imaging for mineral exploration using cosmic ray muons rather than radar. Directly comparable to Lunasonde because both target the same mining exploration customer pain point — non-invasive deep subsurface characterization — and compete for the same exploration budget at major mining companies.
- SkyTEM Surveys: SkyTEM is a leading provider of airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys for mineral exploration, water resource mapping, and geotechnical applications. Directly comparable as an airborne geophysical survey provider targeting mining exploration, with established relationships at the same mining majors Lunasonde is pursuing.
- Sander Geophysics: Sander Geophysics provides airborne geophysical surveys including magnetic, electromagnetic, and radiometric data for mineral exploration and geological mapping. Directly comparable as an airborne survey operator serving the same mineral exploration end-market with overlapping platform and customer base.
- Bell Geospace: Bell Geospace specializes in airborne Full Tensor Gravity Gradiometry (FTG) surveys for mineral and oil & gas exploration. Comparable as an airborne geophysical survey provider competing for mining exploration budgets with a different but adjacent sensing modality.
Broad incumbents
- Viridien (formerly CGG): Viridien (formerly CGG) is a global geoscience heavyweight offering airborne and ground geophysical surveys, seismic, and subsurface imaging for mining and energy. Broad incumbent comparison given its dominant position in geophysical services, though it focuses on seismic rather than the low-frequency radar approach of Lunasonde.
Emerging players
- KoBold Metals: KoBold Metals is an AI-driven mineral exploration company combining machine learning with geoscience data to identify critical mineral deposits. Comparable as an emerging technology-led critical minerals exploration company targeting the same mining customers, though it differs in approach (data/AI vs. physical sensing).
- Fleet Space Technologies: Fleet Space Technologies provides satellite-enabled mineral exploration using its ExoSphere system that combines satellite connectivity with ground-based Ambient Noise Tomography. Comparable as an emerging technology-driven mineral exploration company targeting the same critical minerals exploration use case with a different sensing modality.
- Pixxel: Pixxel operates a hyperspectral satellite constellation for Earth observation with applications in mineral exploration and environmental monitoring. Comparable as an emerging remote sensing player targeting mining and earth observation use cases with an adjacent sensing approach.
- Photon etc. Photon etc. develops hyperspectral imaging and infrared camera technologies for mineral exploration, defense, and scientific applications. Comparable as an emerging player in advanced imaging/sensing technologies serving the mining and defense markets with overlapping sensor capabilities.
Others
- ExoAnalytic Solutions: ExoAnalytic Solutions is a defense technology company specializing in space domain awareness and sensor-based tracking for the DoD and intelligence community. Comparable thematically through defense-adjacent sensor technology and government contract base, though operating in space domain awareness rather than subsurface imaging.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Lunasonde social profiles
Digital presenceLunasonde financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lunasonde leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Lunasonde funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lunasonde 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 Lunasonde
What does Lunasonde do?
Lunasonde provides Aerial Georadiotomography (aGRT) airborne survey services that deploy low-frequency radio wave technology from airplanes, helicopters, drones, and balloons to generate 3D compositional images of the subsurface to depths of approximately 2 kilometers. The company delivers three primary survey service lines — mineral exploration surveys (targeting critical minerals such as copper porphyry deposits and lithium brines), defense surveys (for tunnel and subterranean infrastructure detection), and space exploration surveys (planetary subsurface mapping) — using its proprietary aGRT technology and the helicopter-deployed DART platform.
Is Lunasonde a public or private company?
Lunasonde is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Lunasonde founded?
Lunasonde was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Lunasonde based?
Lunasonde is headquartered in Cortaro, United States, in the North America region.
How does Lunasonde make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Aerial Survey Services are the primary driver. The others are technology Licensing.
Who are Lunasonde's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ideon Technologies, SkyTEM Surveys, Sander Geophysics and Bell Geospace. Viridien (formerly CGG) is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are KoBold Metals, Fleet Space Technologies, Pixxel and Photon etc.. ExoAnalytic Solutions is listed as an others.
Does Lunasonde have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lunasonde.