ORKID

What ORKID does

ORKID is a B2B aerospace startup founded in 2020 and headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil (operating under legal entity Orkid Tech Holdings Limited), building dual-use unmanned aerial systems for defense and commercial customers. Its core product is the ORKID 260VTOL — a single modular VTOL airframe that supports four mission profiles through swappable payloads: an ISR Variant (150-minute flight time, 200 km BVLOS range, EO/IR surveillance optics), a Surveying Variant (centimeter-level photogrammetry and LiDAR via Trimble-Applanix correction services), a Delivery Variant (4 kg payload, 80 km range, ANAC RBAC-94 certified), and a Drone Interceptor for counter-UAS defense (currently listed as Coming Soon). The platform is built on an NDAA-compliant NVIDIA Jetson V6X autopilot, LEO satellite connectivity (Starlink) for global beyond-line-of-sight operations, a MAVLink-based modular payload architecture, additive manufacturing for rapid customization, and a proprietary cloud-based AI mission-planning layer.

The company makes money primarily through hardware sales of the ORKID 260VTOL and its modular payload/sensor options (including NextVision, Phase One, YellowScan, and WorksWell cameras/LiDAR), supported by a recurring cloud-software subscription layer tied to mission planning and data analysis. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, sold through a direct enterprise sales motion via website contact forms, email, and AUVSI industry channels, with target customers in defense/military, critical infrastructure, oil & gas, environmental monitoring, healthcare, and e-commerce. ORKID is privately held, venture capital-backed (a $1M seed round in December 2022 with Irie VC, Newtopia VC, and Seed9), led by co-founders Santiago Pinzon (Co-CEO, ex-Cirrus SF-50 aerodynamicist) and Andrés Uribe (CTO, ex-Google/Lyft/Coinbase), and advised by a former ANAC director, a Cornell Tech director, and a former Volansi software engineering lead — a structure focused on de-risking regulatory and aerospace execution rather than yet demonstrating scale.

Name

ORKID

Legal name

Orkid Tech Holdings Limited

Website

https://orkid.tech

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ORKID is a Brazil-based B2B aerospace startup building the ORKID 260VTOL, an AI-powered modular unmanned aerial system sold to defense, critical infrastructure, and logistics customers across ISR, surveying, last-mile delivery, and counter-UAS missions, backed by a proprietary cloud mission-planning platform and satellite-enabled global BVLOS operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Unmanned Aerial Systems

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)

akta.pro primary industry

VTOL & Hybrid UAV Platforms (IMABAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autonomy Software, AI & Mission Management (UAS/UXV) (IMABAIAH), Military Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) & Autonomous Aerial Platforms (IMABAMAC), UAS Ground Control Stations (GCS) & Remote Operations Infrastructure (IMABAIAL)

Keywords

• Autonomous drone systems
• VTOL unmanned aircraft
• Aerial surveillance technology
• Drone delivery platforms
• Counter-UAS solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. UAV Hardware Sales: Sale of complete ORKID 260VTOL drone platforms including ISR, Surveying, Interceptor, and Delivery variants with various payload configurations
2. Payload and Sensor Systems: Modular payload options including NextVision cameras (Starling, Raptor), Trilium HD40-LVV, Phase One P5, YellowScan LiDAR, and WorksWell thermal cameras sold as add-ons or standalone
3. Cloud-Based Mission Planning Services: Proprietary cloud platform for mission planning, data collection, and analysis provided as part of or alongside hardware purchases

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ORKID designs, manufactures, and sells AI-powered dual-use unmanned aerial systems built around the ORKID 260VTOL platform, with modular variants for ISR, surveying, counter-UAS interception, and last-mile delivery. The company sells drone hardware with swappable payloads (EO/IR cameras, LiDAR, photogrammetry, delivery systems), supported by a proprietary cloud-based AI mission planning platform and LEO satellite connectivity.

Product overview

Orkid is an aerospace startup developing dual-use unmanned aerial systems built around the ORKID 260VTOL platform—a single versatile VTOL airframe that serves multiple mission profiles through swappable payload variants. The portfolio includes four distinct product lines: the ISR Variant for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance with advanced EO/IR optics and satellite connectivity; the Surveying Variant for precision mapping and photogrammetry/LiDAR operations; the Drone Interceptor for autonomous aerial defense and counter-UAS operations; and the Delivery Variant for last-mile logistics. All variants share common architecture including the proprietary cloud-based AI mission planning platform, NDAA-compliant NVIDIA Jetson autopilot, LEO satellite integration, and MAVLink-enabled modular payload systems, differentiated primarily through specialized sensor configurations and mission-specific software.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ORKID 260VTOL ISR Variant Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance drone platform with 150-minute flight time, 200km operational range, LEO satellite connectivity, and AI-powered autonomous BVLOS operations for defense, border security, and counter-illicit trafficking applications.
• ORKID 260VTOL Surveying Variant Precision mapping and surveying drone platform supporting photogrammetry (Phase One P5, Sony ILX-LR1) and LiDAR (YellowScan Surveyor Ultra) payloads with centimeter-level Trimble-Applanix RTX accuracy for critical infrastructure inspection, agriculture, urban planning, and wildfire mitigation applications.
• ORKID 260VTOL Delivery Variant Last-mile drone delivery platform with 100% electric efficiency, 4kg payload capacity, 80km operational range, advanced parachute with independent IMU, and ANAC RBAC-94 aviation compliance for healthcare, e-commerce, and logistics applications.
• ORKID Drone Interceptor Autonomous counter-UAS aerial defense solution for contested airspace, featuring high-speed interception, low-cost airframe, and rapid deployment capabilities for detecting, tracking, and neutralizing hostile drones.
• ORKID Cloud Platform Proprietary cloud-based AI software for mission planning, autonomous flight control, payload configuration, and data analysis across all ORKID 260VTOL variants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150 minutes flight time (ISR variant)
• +7 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

AI capability7 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• AUVSIminorOthersAssociation for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International membership indicating industry standing and community involvement in the unmanned systems industry.
• Cornell TechminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFernando Gomez Baquero Ph.D serves as Business Advisor, Director of Runway and Spinouts at Cornell Tech, providing strategic guidance.
• Cirrus AircraftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-CEO Santiago Pinzon previously worked as aerodynamicist on Cirrus SF-50 jet development (Collier Trophy winner 2017); experience informs ORKID's aerospace engineering approach.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Skydio: US-based autonomous drone manufacturer serving defense, public safety, and commercial inspection. Direct competitor in autonomous ISR and inspection UAS, with a comparable AI-first autonomy stack.
• Anduril Industries: US defense technology company building autonomous UAS (Ghost, Roadrunner) for ISR and counter-UAS. Directly competes in defense ISR and counter-UAS, with much larger capital base.
• Shield AI: AI-pilot autonomy company fielding the V-BAT VTOL UAS for defense ISR. Closest direct competitor in AI-enabled VTOL ISR for defense customers.
• Wing (Alphabet): Alphabet subsidiary operating commercial drone delivery at scale. Direct competitor in BVLOS drone delivery, with significantly more capital and operational track record.
• Zipline: Long-endurance commercial drone delivery company serving healthcare and logistics. Comparable in delivery mission profile and long-range BVLOS operations.
• Volansi: VTOL drone delivery company focused on commercial and defense logistics. Direct competitor in middle-mile VTOL delivery; ORKID's technical advisor previously led software engineering at Volansi.
• Percepto: Autonomous inspection drone platform for industrial sites and critical infrastructure. Direct competitor in autonomous drone-based inspection of energy and infrastructure.

Broad incumbents

• DJI: Dominant global commercial drone manufacturer. Provides baseline competitive context for hardware, sensors, and pricing across surveying and commercial drone markets.
• AeroVironment: Established US military UAS manufacturer (Switchblade, Puma). Comparable in defense UAS, particularly relevant as a benchmark for military procurement cycles and scale.
• Parrot: European drone manufacturer with defense (micro-UAS) and commercial (mapping, agriculture) lines. Comparable breadth across defense and commercial drone verticals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/orkid
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/orkid
• Instagraminstagram.com/orkid

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 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 ORKID