Drone Amplified
Drone Amplified designs and manufactures drone-mounted aerial ignition (IGNIS) and avalanche control (MONTIS) payloads sold primarily to U.S. federal and state wildland fire, transportation, and conservation agencies for safer prescribed burning and avalanche mitigation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersLincoln, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Drone Amplified does
Drone Amplified is a Lincoln, Nebraska-based designer and manufacturer of specialized unmanned aerial system payloads for hazardous environmental mitigation, primarily wildland fire management and avalanche control. Founded in 2015 by University of Nebraska-Lincoln engineering professors Carrick Detweiler and Sebastian Elbaum to commercialize technology developed at UNL's NIMBUS Lab, the company's core IGNIS product line dispenses chemical ignition spheres — plastic balls pre-loaded with potassium permanganate and injected with glycol prior to release — from heavy-lift drones (DJI M600, Freefly Alta X, and Inspired Flight IF1200A). The MONTIS product line applies the same drone-payload architecture to avalanche control through electronic detonator ignition, with operational deployments across Alaska and Canada. Supporting products include the D.A. Flight ground control application (autonomous waypoint navigation, terrain-aware planning, ADS-B integration), the D.A. Strobe 1200W visibility light, custom UAS integration services, and a recurring consumable ignition-sphere business.
Revenue is generated primarily through direct hardware sales to federal and state government agencies at roughly $15,000–$45,000 per configured system, supplemented by SBIR-funded R&D contracts, paid training programs, and regional channel partners (Hummingbird Drones in Canada for wildfire, Alpine Solutions in Canada for avalanche). Documented deployments exceed 100 IGNIS units across more than a dozen federal, state, NGO, and commercial buyers including the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Department of the Interior's Office of Aviation Services, CalFire, Texas Parks & Wildlife, Florida Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Department of Forestry, Alaska Department of Transportation, Whistler Blackcomb (Vail Resorts), The Nature Conservancy, and American Bird Conservancy, alongside contracts such as a $750K USFS award and ~$1.08M in NSF SBIR funding.
Drone Amplified firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Drone Amplified
- Legal name
- Drone Amplified
- Website
- https://droneamplified.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Drone Amplified designs and manufactures drone-mounted aerial ignition (IGNIS) and avalanche control (MONTIS) payloads sold primarily to U.S. federal and state wildland fire, transportation, and conservation agencies for safer prescribed burning and avalanche mitigation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Drone Amplified industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wildfire and Avalanche Mitigation Drones
- NAICS
- Fire Protection (92216), Explosives Manufacturing (32592)
- SIC
- Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Aerial Firefighting & Wildland Fire Suppression (Agricultural Interface) (AFACAIAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Aerial Application Drones & UAS Spray Systems (AFAAADAB), Fuzes, Primers, Detonators & Initiation Systems (IMABAHAJ), Aerial Vector Control & Public Health Spraying (Mosquito/Locust) (AFACAIAK)
Keywords
Where Drone Amplified is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lincoln
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Drone Amplified business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hardware Systems Sales: Sale of IGNIS, IGNIS II, IGNIS III Mini, and MONTIS drone systems and payloads. Systems sold at ~$15,000 for base units up to ~$45,000 for fully equipped configurations with batteries and cameras.
- Software/SaaS: D.A. Flight ground control software for mission planning and execution.
- Training Services: Field training programs for agency personnel on IGNIS system operation, piloting, and integration into prescribed burn operations.
- Government Contracts: Federal contracts for drone acquisition, testing, and integration. $750,000 USFS contract for domestic drone sourcing and IGNIS integration.
- SBIR Research Grants: National Science Foundation SBIR grants ($983,676 Phase II) and Nebraska Department of Economic Development matching grants ($100,000) for R&D on drone capabilities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Base IGNIS System - Approximately $15,000 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Configured System with Batteries and Camera - Approximately $45,000 |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Drone Amplified product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Drone Amplified designs, manufactures, and sells drone-mounted payload systems for wildfire and avalanche mitigation. Its IGNIS family drops ping-pong-ball-sized potassium permanganate spheres that ignite on ground contact for prescribed burns and backburns, while MONTIS deploys electronic detonator charges for avalanche control. The D.A. Flight ground control app, D.A. Strobe visibility light, and UAS integration services round out a portfolio sold primarily to government fire, land management, transportation, and conservation agencies.
Product overview
Drone Amplified offers a portfolio of specialized drone-based systems for hazardous environmental mitigation, centered on three core products: IGNIS (aerial ignition for wildfire management), MONTIS (avalanche control), and D.A. Flight (ground control software). The IGNIS system delivers chemical ignition spheres via drone payloads for prescribed burns and backburns. MONTIS deploys explosive charges for controlled avalanche triggering. D.A. Flight provides mission planning and autonomous flight control. Supporting products include the D.A. STROBE visibility light, UAS integration services, ignition sphere consumables, and specialized payloads like the mosquito suppression system. The company holds exclusive licensing from NUTech Ventures and its products are patented.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- IGNIS: Drone-based aerial ignition system for wildfire management and prescribed burns, deploying chemical ignition spheres from drones.
- IGNIS II
- IGNIS III Mini
- MONTIS
- D.A. Flight
- D.A. Strobe
Products and services
- IGNIS III Mini Aerial Ignition System Compact, portable aerial ignition payload system for drones, designed for fire crews operating from limited-space platforms such as UTVs, truck beds, or airboats. Delivers precision ignition spheres for controlled burns from a portable, lightweight package while retaining core IGNIS ignition performance.
- IGNIS II Aerial Ignition System Second-generation drone-based aerial ignition system that deploys ping-pong-ball-sized chemical spheres pre-loaded with potassium permanganate. Spheres are injected with glycol/antifreeze before release and ignite 30-45 seconds after ground contact, enabling safe prescribed burns, backburns, and wildfire ignition operations. Compatible with Freefly Alta X and Inspired Flight IF1200A drone platforms.
- MONTIS Avalanche Control Drone System Drone-based avalanche control system that allows operators to fly over high-risk zones and deploy explosive charges from a safe distance. Features electronic detonator ignition with precision timing, airblast capability, and operation in extreme cold, high winds, and low visibility conditions for state DOTs, railways, and ski resorts.
- D.A. Flight Ground Control App Custom Android ground control station app purpose-built for aerial ignition and precision-critical missions. Features autonomous waypoint missions, terrain-aware planning with elevation map data, ignition geofence boundaries, ADS-B integration, comprehensive flight logging, and compatibility with PX4-based drone systems including KMZ/KML/PDF map overlay support.
- D.A. Strobe Visibility Light 1200W light providing 360-degree visibility for maintaining visual line-of-sight and increasing operational safety during drone operations, ensuring aircraft remain identifiable to drone operators, ground personnel, and manned aircraft.
- UAS Integrations Service Custom integration services combining software, electrical components, and hardware to create sophisticated drone payloads and systems tailored to specific operational needs, including integration with Freefly Alta X, Inspired Flight IF1200A, DJI Matrice 600/600 Pro, Gremsy cameras, and other UAS platforms.
- IGNIS Ignition Spheres Ping-pong-ball-sized plastic spheres pre-loaded with potassium permanganate that are injected with glycol/antifreeze prior to release and ignite 30-45 seconds after ground contact to start controlled fires, sold as a consumable for use with IGNIS payload systems.
- Mosquito Suppression Payload (Incompatible Insect Technique) Lightweight, scalable drone-based dropper system designed for deployment of Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes using Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT) for conservation efforts, integrating with existing IIT deployment pods for geo-located drops to protect Hawaiian forest birds from avian malaria.
Quantifiable outcome
- 90% cost reduction: $1,800/day for drone vs $16,000/day for Type III helicopter
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Drone Amplified
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Drone Amplified technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration11 records
AI capability5 records
Feature6 records
Drone Amplified partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.
- GremsycoreCamera stabilization partner for precision payload systems. Gremsy's Kestrel camera lineup being integrated for streamlined payload architectures. Collaboration on payload systems shared at XPONENTIAL 2026.
- AmpriussecondaryNext-gen battery technology evaluation partnership. SA08 chemistry has more than doubled Alta X flight time in testing; newer SA88 offers double the discharge current. Critical for operations in steep alpine terrain or active fire zones.
- Alpine SolutionscoreCanadian partner for MONTIS avalanche control drone. Secured Transport Canada authorization for MONTIS operations. Executed first known drone-initiated explosive avalanche mitigation demonstration at Whistler Blackcomb.
- Austin PowdersecondaryExplosives industry partner for MONTIS avalanche control system development and deployment.
- CIL AvalanchecoreFour-year collaboration developing MONTIS electronic ignition system. CIL has 140+ years of experience in specialty explosives. Partnership bringing avalanche industry into 21st century with modern drone-based solutions.
- American Bird ConservancysecondaryPartnership for mosquito suppression using drone-based Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT). Designed payload system for Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito drops to save Hawaiian forest birds from avian malaria.
- The Nature Conservancy (TNC)coreDrone TREX training events in Arkansas with live-fire IGNIS training. Partnership providing hands-on experience for conservation experts using aerial ignition for prescribed burns and land management.
- Inspired Flight Technologies (IFT)coreStrategic partnership integrating IGNIS 2 aerial ignition system with Inspired Flight IF1200A drone platform. The combination creates an effective wildland firefighting tool with extended flight durations on a compact, American-made platform. IF1200A provides 30+ minutes usable flight time with IGNIS 2 and Gremsy VIO EO/IR camera.
- U.S. Forest Servicecore$750,000 contract for sourcing and vetting U.S.-made drones to fight wildfires with IGNIS system. Partnership driving domestic drone innovation following DOI fleet grounding. Goal to increase UAS aerial ignition utilization and develop next-generation capabilities. USFS treats 1.4M acres annually with prescribed fire.
- Hummingbird DronescoreCanadian distributor for IGNIS 2 wildfire technology. Founded by former initial attack firefighters Robert Atwood and Richard Sullivan. Based in Kamloops, BC with satellite offices. Offers full suite of fire management solutions including operational fire services, fire detection, infrared analysis, and aerial ignition platforms.
- Parallel Flight TechnologiessecondaryDevelopment partnership for larger IGNIS payload dispenser for Parallel Flight's 'super drone' capable of 75lb payload and 1+ hour flight time. Company founded by former lead Tesla engineer Joshua Resnick. Drone will be American made with DOI/DHS security specifications.
Scale indicators18 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Drone Amplified competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DroneSeed: DroneSeed provides drone-based aerial seeding and post-wildfire reforestation services to land management agencies, directly comparable to Drone Amplified's federal-land-management customer focus and drone-payload approach for environmental mitigation.
- Aerobotika: Aerobotika operates UAS-based prescribed fire and aerial ignition services for federal and state agencies, making it one of the closest direct competitors in the drone-enabled prescribed burn market.
Broad incumbents
- Freefly Systems: Freefly manufactures the Alta X heavy-lift drone platform used with IGNIS; as an established U.S. drone OEM serving cinematography, industrial, and government customers, Freefly is both a partner and a broader incumbent in the UAS payload ecosystem.
- Inspired Flight Technologies: Inspired Flight builds the IF1200A American-made heavy-lift drone that Drone Amplified integrates with for IGNIS 2; as an NDAA-compliant drone OEM it competes for the same government procurement dollars while also serving as Drone Amplified's platform partner.
- Skydio: Skydio is a leading U.S. drone manufacturer with strong public-sector and first-responder adoption; while not focused on aerial ignition, its autonomy stack and government footprint make it a relevant incumbent peer.
- DJI: DJI is the dominant global drone manufacturer whose M600 platform originally carried IGNIS; though restricted in U.S. federal use, it remains a broad incumbent whose product direction and pricing shape the competitive landscape.
- Parrot: Parrot is a European drone manufacturer with public-sector and defense customers; while not a direct aerial ignition competitor, it competes for the same enterprise and government UAS procurement dollars.
Emerging players
- BRINC Drones: BRINC builds autonomous drones for emergency response and public safety, partially overlapping with Drone Amplified's wildfire and avalanche safety missions while serving similar first-responder customers.
Others
- PrecisionHawk: PrecisionHawk provides drone-based aerial intelligence and analytics primarily for agriculture and infrastructure; adjacent to Drone Amplified in UAS data and asset inspection but does not compete directly in aerial ignition.
- Auterion: Auterion offers an open-source PX4-based flight stack and drone operating system used across enterprise and government UAS, including Drone Amplified's PX4-compatible D.A. Flight ground control software.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Drone Amplified social profiles
Digital presenceDrone Amplified compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Drone Amplified financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Drone Amplified leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Drone Amplified funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Drone Amplified 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 Drone Amplified
What does Drone Amplified do?
Drone Amplified designs, manufactures, and sells drone-mounted payload systems for wildfire and avalanche mitigation. Its IGNIS family drops ping-pong-ball-sized potassium permanganate spheres that ignite on ground contact for prescribed burns and backburns, while MONTIS deploys electronic detonator charges for avalanche control. The D.A. Flight ground control app, D.A. Strobe visibility light, and UAS integration services round out a portfolio sold primarily to government fire, land management, transportation, and conservation agencies.
Is Drone Amplified a public or private company?
Drone Amplified is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Drone Amplified founded?
Drone Amplified was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Drone Amplified based?
Drone Amplified is headquartered in Lincoln, United States, in the North America region.
How does Drone Amplified make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Hardware Systems Sales are the primary driver. The others are software/SaaS, training Services, government Contracts and SBIR Research Grants.
Who are Drone Amplified's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DroneSeed and Aerobotika. Broad incumbents are Freefly Systems, Inspired Flight Technologies, Skydio, DJI and Parrot. BRINC Drones is listed as an emerging player. Others are PrecisionHawk and Auterion.
Does Drone Amplified have an API?
No public API is recorded for Drone Amplified.
What industry is Drone Amplified in?
Drone Amplified's product category is Wildfire and Avalanche Mitigation Drones. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFACAIAI, Aerial Firefighting & Wildland Fire Suppression (Agricultural Interface), with a secondary code of AFAAADAB, Aerial Application Drones & UAS Spray Systems. Its NAICS code is 92216 and its SIC code is 3728.