Stark Drones Corporation

What Stark Drones Corporation does

Stark Drones Corporation is an emerging Michigan-based technology company founded in 2018 and operating at 1-10 employees from a Troy mailing address, focused on developing low-cost hardware and software for upgrading grid power, wireless transmission, and energy infrastructure. Its core technology pillars are a Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) battery system claimed at approximately one-seventh the cost of comparable lithium-ion alternatives with a ~15-second charge time, a $140 Internet Balloon positioned as an alternative to Google's $50,000+ Project Loon, StarkSat CubeSats that cost under $110 to build and sell for $350-$500 versus $35,000+ market alternatives, and the open-source Lonero Decentralized-Internet SDK which reached 175,000+ downloads across all installation sources by end of 2022. The company maintains an unusually broad product surface spanning the Stark Compute Module (patent pending US 17/882,587), a Space Plane Device (US 29/852,695) and Hoverboard (US 29/861,864), Lonero OS, ChainBoard, PeerTop, LonScript, StarkCrate, BitBadges, and various collaboration projects including SPUAV, AirWAN, and Stark VTOLs.

The business model is hybrid: direct hardware sales (CubeSats, compute modules, 3D models) through e-commerce marketplaces (Etsy, eBay, Amazon, Turbosquid), quote-based B2B engineering consulting in High Performance Computing, Avionics, Telemetry, Microsatellite Systems, FAA-compliant parts databases, ultralight aircraft design, and custom data center setup, plus planned equity crowdfunding via Netcapital. Go-to-market combines sales-led enterprise outreach (domestic US focus), community-led open-source developer engagement, and direct-to-consumer marketplace distribution. Customer segments include government/municipal entities for wireless infrastructure pilots, US-based B2B engineering clients, researchers and developers consuming the Lonero SDK, and clean-tech collaborators such as SolarFuel Transportation, ZeroQuantum Labs, and Humanity-S. The founder, Andrew Magdy Kamal, is the named inventor across all patent applications.

The company has participated in Y-Combinator Startup School and multiple accelerators (AWS Activate, Microsoft for Startups, NVIDIA Inception, Founders Space, Techstar), and was a finalist in the 2019 Detroit FinTech Challenge. Capital formation progressed from a $0 DigitalCPR-linked round in 2018 and a $211,000 raise in May 2023 to a $15,320,354 Sequoia Capital-led round in October 2024. Operational activities since 2022 have included tethered Internet Balloon launches at Harbor Beach, Michigan, aquatic LoRaWAN tests at Port Huron reaching -75 dBm signal strength, and an active roadmap through 2026 including rocket-launch prototyping and 360° videography. The combined profile is that of a founder-led R&D shop with significant capital backing, a large patent-pending IP footprint, and minimal commercial revenue.

Name

Stark Drones Corporation

Legal name

Stark Drones Corporation

Website

https://starkdrones.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerospace Hardware Systems

NAICS

Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419), Satellite Telecommunications (51741), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMABAIAA

Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) & Multirotor Drones

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing/Unmanned Aerial Systems (Drones) & Autonomous Platforms

SECONDARYIMABAIAN

UAS Launch/Recovery & Support Equipment (Catapults, Nets, Docking)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing/Unmanned Aerial Systems (Drones) & Autonomous Platforms

SECONDARYHDAIAJAI

Satellite Network Operations & Capacity Services (NOC, Capacity Leasing, Managed Payload Services)

Hardware, Technology & Telecom/Telecommunications & Network Services/Satellite & Non-Terrestrial Network Services (GEO/MEO/LEO)

SECONDARYIMABAAAH

Special-Mission Fixed-Wing Aircraft Manufacturing (ISR, AEW&C, Patrol)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing/Aircraft Manufacturing (Fixed-Wing)

Keywords

• CubeSat satellite hardware
• Compressed air energy storage
• Decentralized internet protocols
• Aerospace engineering consulting
• Low-cost connectivity hardware

Headquarters

HQ city

Sterling Heights

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Hardware Product Sales: Direct sales of proprietary hardware including StarkSat CubeSats (sold at $350-$500 per unit), Stark Compute Modules, and potentially the hoverboard prototype and Space Plane device. Products sold through e-commerce platforms (Etsy, eBay, Amazon, Turbosquid) as well as direct B2B channels.
2. Engineering Consulting Services: B2B consulting services in High Performance Computing, Avionics, Telemetry, Microsatellite Systems, Simulation, Lidar, ROS, Machine Learning, Blockchain, Enterprise Networks, FAA-compliant parts databases, ultralight aircraft building and design, custom data syncing, processing, and enterprise data center setup. Services are quote-based and targeted at US entities.
3. Equity Crowdfunding: The company has expressed interest in and prepared for equity crowdfunding campaigns, with a trailer produced for their first trial. This represents a future potential capital-raising revenue stream but is not yet confirmed as a primary revenue source.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Stark Drones Corporation develops and sells cost-efficient CubeSat hardware (StarkSat), patent-pending compute modules, Internet Balloon connectivity systems, and Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) battery technology. The company also offers B2B engineering consulting services in avionics, telemetry, microsatellite systems, FAA-compliant parts databases, ultralight aircraft design, and enterprise data infrastructure. It maintains an open-source Decentralized-Internet SDK (Lonero) with 175,000+ downloads.

Product overview

Stark Drones Corporation is an emerging technology company focused on sensory networks, UART communications, and aviation design concepts, with a mission to build efficient aeronautical vehicles for space exploration and transportation. The company operates a multi-product portfolio centered around several core technology pillars: (1) Hardware products including StarkSat CubeSat Systems (costing under $110 to build), the patent-pending Stark Compute Module and v2, Internet Balloon System ($140 alternative to Project Loon), Water Harvesting Device, Space Plane Device, and Hoverboard Prototype; (2) Energy technology featuring CoolCoil CAES battery system (1/7th the cost of Lithium Ion with 15-second charging); (3) Software platforms including StarkCrate (decentralized storage/microblogging on Blockstack), StarkCrate-Torus, Stark Logs, BitBadges, and CloutContracts; (4) Operating systems including Lonero OS (based on Lubuntu for decentralized applications), ChainBoard wireless development board, and PeerTop laptops; (5) Programming languages including LonScript for high-performance computing; (6) Various collaborative projects including SPUAV, AirWAN, Underwater Telecom Towers, and Lidar-Based Sensory Systems. The company also distributes the open-source Decentralized-Internet SDK (175k+ downloads) and maintains research initiatives in quantum computing, healthcare technology, and autonomous systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• StarkSat: An extremely cost-efficient CubeSat system costing under $110 to build, sellable for $350 to $500 depending on models and protocols, compared to models costing upwards of $35k+.
• Stark Compute Module
• Internet Balloon System
• SPUAV
• StarkCrate
• Stark Logs
• CoolCoil
• Stark VTOLs
• StarkDrones Subterranean Systems

Products and services

• StarkSat CubeSat Systems Cost-efficient CubeSat microsatellite system costing under $110 to build and sold for $350-$500 depending on model and protocols, compared to market alternatives priced at $35,000+. Used by researchers, educational programs, and developers for satellite and range transmission applications.
• Stark Compute Module Multi-functional data transmission, logging, and control module powering Stark Drones launches. Successor to ChainBoard with added signal logic. Uses STM32F072CBU6 target processor. Patent-pending under US application 17/882587.
• Stark Compute Module v2 Downsized iteration of the Stark Compute Module with reduced form factor (3.15 inches by 2.17 inches), maintaining gateway and CubeSat computing capabilities.
• Internet Balloon System Low-cost tethered balloon-based internet delivery system built for approximately $140, positioned as a sustainable alternative to Google's Project Loon at $50,000+. Uses ChainBoard integrating Lonero's decentralization protocols.
• CoolCoil CAES Battery System Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) battery system approximately 1/7th the cost of comparable Lithium Ion batteries, with charge times of approximately 15 seconds. Same technology applied to water harvesting, pumped-storage hydropower, and hoverboard cooling systems.
• Space Plane Device v1.0 Modular space plane design featuring a dual propulsion system. Patent pending under US Design Patent 29/852,695. Prototype stands at approximately 14 feet tall with a 3D-printed stand.
• Hoverboard Prototype v1.0 Patent-pending hoverboard device (Aeronautical Propulsion Board) under US Design Patent 29/861,864. Uses household/common parts with coiling mechanism based on Ionic Airlift Propulsion concept; CAES may be used in cooling system.
• Water Harvesting Device Solar-powered device that stores energy into a generator or battery and powers an air compressor to push air into a radiator in a closed-loop system, functioning as a reverse HVAC system for water generation. Based on CoolCoil CAES technology.
• Engineering Consulting Services B2B engineering consulting covering High Performance Computing, Avionics, Telemetry, Microsatellite Systems, Simulation, Lidar, ROS, Machine Learning, Blockchain, Enterprise Networks, FAA-compliant parts databases, ultralight aircraft design, custom data syncing/processing, and enterprise data center setup. Targeted at US-based organizations.
• Decentralized-Internet SDK (Lonero) Open-source development kit and library for building offline-centric networks centered around distributed data sharding. Implements BOINC volunteer/grid computing. Includes clusterpost and gridbee-framework. Positioned as a Tor competitor. Distributed via npm and GitHub.
• Lonero OS Operating system based on Lubuntu with pre-installed P2P modules including GitPrep, SMesh, Kademlia, Beaker Browser, and VPNBook. Designed as an open, distributed, censorship-resistant OS for running decentralized blockchain applications.
• StarkCrate Decentralized storage, micro-blogging, and task management platform built on Blockstack. Originally conceived as a simplified and decentralized Twitter alternative.
• AirWAN LoRaWAN Gateway controller concept enabling 5G-like connectivity across a LoRa physical layer to expand wireless accessibility for municipalities and underserved areas.
• Moonshot Academy (STEM Course) STEM education course covering technology concepts, moonshot thinking, history of technology, creative problem solving, design thinking, bootstrapping, lean manufacturing, and future technologies.
• BitBadges Platform that allows users to issue NFTs to other users, utilizing Lonero's PoCP (Proof of Computation) for its second version.

Quantifiable outcome

• CAES battery system charges in approximately 15 seconds, compared to standard Lithium Ion battery charge times
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gamelectual StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner on 'Project 1001' - the development of a flight simulator in under 1,001 lines of code for research on regressional and recursive programming. Planned for release on STEAM and IndieDB. Currently under construction in research phase.
• SolarFuel TransportationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStark Drones is collaborating on and sponsoring the development of a hydrofuel solar vehicle. The founder of Stark Drones is the inventor of the hydrofuel solar powerup method for vehicles and the hydrofuel solar car. Stark Drones provides lab access and computational power as needed.
• The Bible ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bible Project, a social enterprise initiative, will utilize Stark Drones' Internet Balloon system as part of their strategic plan, along with a series of protocols and software developed by Stark Drones.
• ZeroQuantum LabsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZeroQuantum Labs aims to conduct superconductor research using silicon wafer chips and semiconductors for the purpose of building a sustainable, cost-efficient quantum computer. Research aims to drive innovations in aerospace, clean energy, GreenTech, and manufacturing industries.
• Humanity-SminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHUMANITY-S is focused on creating human-powered vehicles. Stark Drones is sponsoring this project and many developments would take place in Stark Drones laboratories. The project aims to promote an environmentally friendly concept of future vehicles.
• Lonero FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStark Drones collaborates with the Lonero Foundation on the Decentralized-Internet SDK, decentralized file transfer protocols, and various protocol-level initiatives including underwater wireless networking and the Internet Balloon system (ChainBoard integration).
• Y-Combinator (Startup School)minorOthersStark Drones participated in Y-Combinator's Startup School program, indicating mentorship and startup ecosystem engagement but not a commercial partnership.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• QuantumScape: Public next-generation battery company pursuing non-lithium-ion energy storage breakthroughs. Comparable to Stark Drones' CAES (Compressed Air Energy Storage) battery claim of 1/7 the cost of Li-ion, as both target fundamental cost and performance improvements in stationary energy storage.
• Helium Network: Decentralized wireless network using LoRaWAN gateways and a token-incentivized coverage model. Directly comparable to Stark Drones' AirWAN LoRaWAN gateway concept and the broader decentralized-connectivity thesis underlying the Lonero ecosystem.
• Loft Orbital: Smallsat platform-as-a-service company offering standardized satellite buses and rideshare-style missions to make space accessible to non-traditional customers. Comparable to Stark Drones' StarkSat CubeSat effort on standardized, low-cost satellite infrastructure targeting the underserved SMB and research market.

Direct peers

• Planet Labs: Public smallsat operator that designs, builds, and operates large constellations of low-cost Earth-observation CubeSats and smallsats. Directly comparable to Stark Drones' StarkSat CubeSat platform on core product (low-cost standardized satellite buses), target customer (research, government, commercial imaging), and underlying cost-engineering philosophy.
• Swarm Technologies (SpaceX): Smallsat operator (now a SpaceX subsidiary) deploying a low-cost constellation of tiny satellites for IoT connectivity. Directly comparable to StarkSat on low-cost CubeSat architecture and to Stark Drones' Internet Balloon/LoRaWAN aquatic wireless work on affordable global IoT connectivity use cases.
• Astrocast: Commercial nanosatellite IoT operator offering low-cost satellite connectivity for IoT devices, comparable to Stark Drones' combined CubeSat + LoRaWAN + Internet Balloon connectivity stack.
• Spire Global: Public smallsat operator running a constellation of CubeSats for weather, maritime, and aviation data. Comparable to Stark Drones on satellite manufacturing cost focus and microsatellite-based data services.

Broad incumbents

• Tor Project: The incumbent decentralized / censorship-resistant internet protocol that Stark Drones explicitly positions the Lonero Decentralized-Internet SDK against as a 'Tor competitor.' Comparable on privacy-preserving, distributed-network technology and developer ecosystem.
• LoRa Alliance / Semtech: Semtech is the incumbent silicon and IP vendor behind LoRaWAN, the same wireless standard Stark Drones is testing in its aquatic wireless network and AirWAN projects. Comparable as the dominant platform against which Stark's LoRaWAN-based products must compete.
• Filecoin / Protocol Labs: Incumbent decentralized storage and peer-to-peer networking protocol provider (IPFS, Filecoin). Comparable to Stark Drones' Decentralized-Internet SDK and Lonero OS efforts on distributed data sharding, offline-first networking, and censorship-resistant storage.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/StarkDrones
• GitHubgithub.com/StarkDrones
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/starkdrones
• Instagraminstagram.com/starkdronesofficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stark Drones Corporation