What Freefly Systems does

Freefly Systems is a US-based designer and manufacturer of professional drones, robotic camera stabilization systems, and high-speed imaging cameras, headquartered in Woodinville, Washington. Founded in 2011, the company built its initial reputation on the Mōvi cinema gimbal (launched 2014), then expanded into professional and industrial drones with the Alta series (2018), the Astro commercial platform (2023), and the Astro Max (2025). Its product portfolio spans heavy-lift and industrial drones (Alta X, Alta X Gen2, Astro, Astro Max), the FLUX LiDAR mapping payload family, high-speed cameras (Ember S5K, Ember S2.5K, Wave), the Mōvi gimbal line, and the Pilot Pro controller and SL Series batteries. Underlying technology includes NDAA-compliant and Blue UAS certified hardware, the proprietary Smart Dovetail quick-swap payload interface, RTK GPS positioning, LTE cloud connectivity, and the PX4 open-source autopilot.

Freefly generates revenue primarily through one-time hardware sales at price points ranging from approximately $5 (small accessories) to $99,485 (high-end payloads), with core drones priced $22,995-$49,995, cameras $7,995-$27,995, and LiDAR systems $13,995-$32,995. NDAA-compliant variants command a documented 20-26% price premium, reflecting the regulatory moat in U.S. government and defense procurement. Distribution combines a direct-to-consumer e-commerce store (store.freeflysystems.com), a global dealer network of resellers and systems integrators, and a dedicated enterprise/government channel through Drone Nerds (an XTI Aerospace subsidiary). Recurring revenue is a small share of total, derived from $1,200 professional training sessions and warranty/non-warranty repair services. The company is self-funded, profitable, and structured as an Evergreen private business with no external institutional capital and a 15% employee profit-share program. Customer segments are diversified across film and television production, U.S. government and defense, industrial/commercial mapping and inspection, and scientific research.

Name

Freefly Systems

Legal name

Freefly Systems Inc.

Website

https://freeflysystems.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Freefly Systems designs and manufactures professional NDAA-compliant drones, high-speed cameras, and LiDAR payloads for film/TV, U.S. government and defense, industrial mapping, and scientific research customers, distributing through direct e-commerce, dealers, and the Drone Nerds enterprise channel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Drones and Camera Systems

NAICS

Aircraft Manufacturing (336411)

SIC

Aircraft (3721)

akta.pro primary industry

Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) & Multirotor Drones (IMABAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Aerial Robotics (Drones & UAV Autonomy) (HDAAAIAG), UAS Ground Control Stations (GCS) & Remote Operations Infrastructure (IMABAIAL), Consumer Drones for Imaging (Camera Drones) (CRACAPAD)

Keywords

• Professional drone manufacturing
• Camera gimbal stabilizers
• Commercial UAV systems
• Aerial cinematography equipment
• High-speed imaging cameras

Headquarters

HQ city

Woodinville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Drone Hardware Sales: Sale of professional-grade drones including Astro Max, Alta X, Alta X Gen2, and accessories. Drones range from $22,995 to $49,995 with various configurations and NDAA-compliant options.
2. Camera Hardware Sales: Sale of high-speed cinema cameras including Wave, Ember S5K, and Ember S2.5K with various lens mounts and storage options. Prices range from $7,995 to $27,995.
3. LiDAR and Payload Sales: FLUX LiDAR systems (H1, O1, L1 variants) for aerial mapping and inspection, priced from $13,995 to $32,995. Additional payloads include Sentera sensors and thermal imaging systems.
4. Power Systems and Accessories: SL Series batteries, chargers, mounting accessories, travel cases, and spare parts for drones and cameras.
5. Professional Training Services: Ground school and flight training on all Freefly drones. Training prices at $1,200 per session for Astro and Alta X platforms.
6. Repair and Service: Warranty and non-warranty repair services through authorized service centers. Checkup services available at various price points.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Freefly Systems designs and manufactures professional-grade unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), robotic camera gimbal stabilizers, and high-speed cinema/scientific cameras. Its drone platforms include the Alta X, Alta X Gen2, Astro, and Astro Max (with NDAA-compliant and Blue UAS certified variants), complemented by modular payloads such as the FLUX LiDAR series and the Pilot Pro controller. The company also produces the Mōvi gimbal line, Wave professional camera system, and Ember high-speed cameras for cinematic and scientific imaging.

Product overview

Freefly Systems is a US-based company that builds industrial-grade drones and professional cameras for commercial and cinematic applications. The product portfolio centers on three core pillars: (1) Drone Systems - including the Alta X Gen2 and Alta X heavy-lift platforms, the Astro Max and Astro industrial drones with NDAA/Blue UAS compliance, and the FLUX LiDAR mapping payloads; (2) Camera Systems - the Wave cinema camera, Ember S5K (5K/800fps high-speed) and Ember S2.5K (2.5K/3500fps scientific imaging) cameras, plus the Movi Cinema Robot consumer gimbal; and (3) Accessories and Components - Pilot Pro controller, SL Series smart batteries, Flying Sun tethered lighting, and the Mōvi gimbal line (Pro, Carbon, XL). All drone products are designed and manufactured in the USA, with many models available in NDAA-compliant and Blue UAS certified variants for government and defense applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mōvi: Cinema robot product line for camera stabilization
• Alta
• Astro
• Ember
• Wave
• Pilot Pro
• Flux

Products and services

• Alta X Gen2 Second-generation heavy-lift professional-grade drone with enhanced efficiency, reliability, and precision for demanding payloads in commercial and industrial applications. Available in standard and NDAA-compliant variants.
• Alta X Heavy-lift professional-grade drone designed for reliability, precision, and demanding payloads in commercial and industrial operations. Available in standard, NDAA-compliant, and international-only variants.
• Astro Max Latest industrial drone platform with double the payload capacity and 60% more thrust compared to previous models, featuring RTK positioning, 61 megapixel Sony camera, and LTE cloud connectivity. Available in NDAA-compliant and Blue UAS certified variants.
• Astro Commercial drone platform designed for industrial applications with available payloads and accessories.
• FLUX LiDAR On-site LiDAR mapping system that enables rapid scan-to-decision workflows in minutes. Includes H1 (high-precision), O1 (NDAA-compliant), and L1 (long-range) variants. Compatible with Freefly Smart Dovetail and DJI Skyport-enabled aircraft.
• Pilot Pro Precision drone controller providing confident control of flight operations.
• Wave Professional cinema camera system developed by Freefly, representing the company's entry into dedicated camera hardware.
• Ember S5K Cinematic and commercial imaging camera capable of 5K continuous high-speed capture at 600fps or 4K at 800fps, designed for rapid capture-to-share workflows.
• Ember S2.5K Scientific high-speed imaging camera with 2.5K capture at over 2,000fps (up to 3,563fps), built for scientific capture and analysis applications.
• Flying Sun Tethered drone lighting solution providing high-output aerial illumination for critical operations.
• Mōvi XL Large-format cinema gimbal stabilizer designed for professional film production with heavy payload capacity.
• Mōvi Carbon Lightweight carbon fiber cinema gimbal stabilizer for professional camera payloads.
• Mōvi Pro Professional cinema gimbal stabilizer offering advanced stabilization and control features for professional filmmaking.
• Movi Cinema Robot Smart cinema robot that brings professional-grade stabilization and camera moves to smartphone users, with Bluetooth Low Energy 4.2 connectivity and iOS/Android apps for control.
• SL Series Batteries Intelligent power solutions for Freefly drones, featuring smart battery management, efficient power delivery, and open platform compatibility. UN 38.3 certified for lithium-ion battery transport safety.
• Professional Drone Training Ground school and flight training services on all Freefly drones, priced at $1,200 per session for Astro and Alta X platforms.
• Repair and Service Warranty and non-warranty repair services for Freefly products through authorized service centers, including checkup services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products power the majority of film and TV productions in the US
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Drone Nerds (XTI Aerospace subsidiary)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 5 February 2026XTI Aerospace announced addition of Freefly Alta X Gen2 heavy-lift drone to Drone Nerds enterprise platform. The partnership provides enhanced autonomy and compliance options for enterprise and government customers, expanding Freefly's enterprise sales reach.
• Drone Nerds (XTI Aerospace subsidiary)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 January 2026Drone Nerds expanded enterprise payload offerings with Freefly FLUX LiDAR series including H1, O1, and L1 variants. The LiDAR payloads address requirements for high-precision mapping, long-range coverage, and NDAA-compliant deployment in regulated environments. Available through Drone Nerds' enterprise sales team.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• DJI: DJI is the global incumbent market leader in commercial and prosumer multirotor drones (Mavic, Matrice, Inspire) and the dominant camera-drone platform that Freefly's Alta X and Astro compete against. Freefly FLUX LiDAR even supports DJI Skyport integration, underscoring DJI's role as the de facto industry baseline.
• Teledyne FLIR: Teledyne FLIR is a broad incumbent in thermal imaging, imaging payloads, and integrated UAS (Black Hornet nano-UAS) for defense and industrial inspection. It overlaps with Freefly on thermal imaging sensors and defense/enterprise drone payloads.
• ARRI: ARRI is the dominant incumbent manufacturer of professional cinema cameras (ALEXA series) used in the same film/TV productions that Freefly's Alta X drones fly above with Movi gimbals and Ember cameras. ARRI is the brand-side comparability for Freefly's Wave and Ember camera business.
• Insitu (Boeing subsidiary): Insitu is a Boeing subsidiary that manufactures small/medium fixed-wing UAS for defense, intelligence, and commercial survey — adjacent to Freefly's UAS business but focused on fixed-wing ISR/survey rather than multirotor cinema/industrial platforms.

Emerging players

• Wingtra: Wingtra makes VTOL fixed-wing drones for aerial mapping/surveying, competing in the same enterprise LiDAR/mapping workflow as Freefly's FLUX LiDAR mounted on Alta X and Astro platforms.
• BRINC Drones: BRINC builds US-made, NDAA-compliant small UAS (Lemur, Responder) focused on public safety and defense. It overlaps with Freefly's Blue UAS defense positioning and competes for the same DoD/state-and-local procurement dollars.

Direct peers

• Skydio: Skydio is the most direct US-based competitor, manufacturing autonomous small UAS (Skydio 2+, X10, X2D) targeted at commercial, public safety, and defense (Blue UAS) customers. Like Freefly, Skydio competes on US manufacturing, autonomy, and NDAA compliance for the same government/enterprise wallet.
• Autel Robotics: Autel Robotics manufactures the EVO II and EVO Max commercial/multirotor drones for industrial inspection, mapping, and public safety, competing directly with Freefly's Alta X and Astro in the same payload-and-mapping use cases.
• Parrot SA: Parrot manufactures the ANAFI USA (a Blue UAS-listed drone) and other small commercial UAS for defense, enterprise mapping, and inspection — directly comparable to Freefly's Alta X and Astro in mission and customer segment.
• RED Digital Cinema: RED Digital Cinema manufactures high-end cinema cameras (V-Raptor, Komodo) used in film/TV productions that frequently pair with Freefly's Alta X drones. It is directly comparable on the cinema-camera side of Freefly's Wave and Ember product lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/freeflysystems
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/FreeFlySystems
• Facebookfacebook.com/FreeFlysystems
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/freefly
• Instagraminstagram.com/movicinemarobot

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Freefly Systems