Drone Major
Drone Major is a UK-based, founder-led advisory and technology firm that operates a digital procurement platform connecting enterprise buyers with a global network of 7,000+ drone suppliers, serving defence, government, Critical National Infrastructure, and commercial clients with advisory, manufacturing, managed operations, and its proprietary Digital Tethering™ BVLOS technology.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Drone Major does
Drone Major Limited is a UK-based, founder-led advisory and technology company founded in 2017 that operates as an independent intermediary between enterprise buyers and the global drone industry. The company runs a digital procurement platform connecting validated buyers with a Global Supplier Network of more than 7,000 suppliers across 90+ countries, covering land, maritime, air, and space domains. Its service portfolio spans strategic consultancy, procurement support, manufacturing and assembly under licence, system integration, testing and validation, training, and managed fleet operations. Customers include defence organisations, government departments, Critical National Infrastructure operators (Network Rail, Peel Ports, energy and utility providers), and commercial enterprises in sectors such as agriculture, construction, logistics, mining, and manufacturing.
The company's proprietary technology is Digital Tethering™, an infrastructure concept that combines onboard navigation, ground-based beacons, artificial perception, and DO178-compliant safety software to enable commercially viable Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations in A-Typical Airspace where GPS/GNSS is unstable or denied. In October 2025 the UK Civil Aviation Authority granted Drone Major Operational Authority to conduct the first BVLOS flights over Critical National Infrastructure in non-segregated airspace — a regulatory first that underpins the company's positioning in safety-assured autonomous operations for rail, energy, and defence applications. The company maintains a dedicated Research & Innovation function and participates in standards bodies via Founder and CEO Robert Garbett's chairmanships of the BSI Drone Committee and the Drone Delivery Group.
Drone Major generates revenue across five streams: consultancy and advisory services (professional services), manufacturing and assembly under licence (hardware-adjacent), procurement services leveraging the supplier network (transaction fees), platform subscription and licensing (recurring), and managed fleet operations (managed services). Pricing is bespoke and quote-based rather than publicly disclosed. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional funding, operates from Mayfair, London, and serves customers globally through its platform, strategic partnerships, and a Phoenix I Test and Development Area in the Liverpool City Region established with the LCRCA in 2021.
Drone Major firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Drone Major
- Legal name
- Drone Major Limited
- Website
- https://dronemajor.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Drone Major is a UK-based, founder-led advisory and technology firm that operates a digital procurement platform connecting enterprise buyers with a global network of 7,000+ drone suppliers, serving defence, government, Critical National Infrastructure, and commercial clients with advisory, manufacturing, managed operations, and its proprietary Digital Tethering™ BVLOS technology.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Drone Major industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Drone Advisory and Procurement Services
- NAICS
- Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- UAS Integration, Certification & Compliance Systems (Remote ID, Detect-and-Avoid) (IMABAIAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- UAS Ground Control Stations (GCS) & Remote Operations Infrastructure (IMABAIAL)
Keywords
Where Drone Major is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Drone Major business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Consultancy Services: Strategic advisory services on drone technology, including strategy development, market analysis, and delivery support for defence, CNI and commercial organisations.
- Manufacturing Services: Comprehensive manufacturing and assembly services under license to enable OEMs to scale production of drone technology.
- Procurement Services: Procurement support leveraging the Global Supplier Network to source everything needed for drone capability requirements. Intelligence reports and supplier matching services.
- Platform Services: Subscription and licensing of the Drone Major digital procurement platform for buyers and suppliers to connect, showcase technologies, and conduct procurement activities.
- Fleet Management & Operations: Managed drone fleet operations as a service, including planning, deployment, monitoring, maintenance, and data management.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Drone Major product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Drone Major operates as an independent advisory, design, and delivery service for unmanned systems across defence, critical national infrastructure, government, and commercial sectors. The company runs a digital procurement platform connecting buyers with a global network of 7,000+ drone suppliers across 90+ countries, complemented by consultancy, manufacturing, system integration, testing, training, and fleet management services. The proprietary Digital Tethering™ technology enables safety-assured beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations in atypical airspace.
Product overview
Drone Major is a leading advisory, design, and delivery service for unmanned systems operating across defence, critical national infrastructure (CNI), and commercial sectors. The company operates a digital procurement platform that connects buyers with a global network of over 7,000 suppliers across more than 90 countries. The platform encompasses buyer and supplier portals facilitating RFQ and RFI workflows. Drone Major's core services include consultancy, fleet management, industrial operations, manufacturing, system integration, procurement support, testing and validation, and training. Their proprietary Digital Tethering™ technology enables safety-assured BVLOS operations in complex environments. The company serves industries including agriculture, construction, defence, energy, logistics, manufacturing, mining, civil safety and security, and critical national infrastructure.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Digital Tethering™: A unique infrastructure concept which delivers safety-assured drone operations combining state-of-the-art technology with robust safety-assured (DO178) software to deliver commercially viable BVLOS operations in A-Typical Airspace. Applications include defence & security, survey & inspection, emergency response, and logistics operations.
Products and services
- Drone Major Procurement Platform Digital procurement platform connecting buyers with a global network of 7,000+ drone suppliers, enabling RFQ and RFI workflows, supplier discovery, and capability delivery management across defence, CNI, and commercial sectors. Includes dedicated buyer and supplier portals, supplier profiles, and an intelligence database across land, sea, air, and space domains.
- Drone Consultancy Strategic advisory services helping organisations understand the art of the possible for drone technology across land, maritime, and air domains, including strategy development, procurement assistance, and delivery support for defence, CNI, government, and commercial organisations.
- Fleet Management Comprehensive drone fleet management services including operations-as-a-service, repair and maintenance, system-of-systems coordination, and transition to multi-system Fleet Managers for enterprise clients running drone programmes at scale.
- Industrial Operations Scalable drone operations services covering business case development, operations planning and execution, manageable scalable deployment, and continuous improvement programmes for commercial viability across industrial sectors.
- Manufacturing Services Comprehensive manufacturing and assembly services conducted under OEM license, including design for manufacture, prototyping, POC/PVP manufacture, manufacture at scale, establishing manufacturing facilities, and transition to national ownership for OEM clients.
- System Integration Integration of software and hardware to create new drone capabilities, covering research and scoping, specification development, project planning and costing, design and development, and project delivery for enterprise clients.
- Procurement Support Procurement services providing intelligence reports, platform sourcing, sub-system procurement, and systems-of-systems procurement leveraging a global network of over 7,000 validated drone suppliers across 90+ countries.
- Testing & Validation Testing and validation services including development of testing standards, extensive functional, safety, performance, battery, payload, and connectivity testing, simulated and lab testing, and validation and feedback for drone programmes.
- Training Training programmes covering drone fundamentals, ethics and regulations, data management, hands-on flight training, specialised industry applications, and technical training for drone operators across client organisations.
- Digital Tethering™ Proprietary infrastructure concept delivering safety-assured BVLOS drone operations using DO178-compliant software combined with advanced onboard navigation and ground-based beacons for commercially viable drone operations in atypical airspace across land, maritime, and air domains.
Quantifiable outcome
- First CAA approval for BVLOS drone flights over UK Critical National Infrastructure
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Drone Major
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Drone Major technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Drone Major partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Network RailcorePartnership to develop UK's first 'drone assured navigation and safety system' for use along 20,000 miles of railway tracks. Network Rail enabled and funded groundbreaking BVLOS drone trials using Digital Tethering™ technology between Wolverhampton and Sandwell & Dudley Station.
- Liverpool City Region Combined AuthoritycoreStrategic partnership for Phoenix I project - the world's first drone technology Test and Development Area in Liverpool City Region. LCRCA played an instrumental convening role working with Drone Major Group to facilitate stakeholder involvement including Peel Ports Group, LogisticsUK, SP Energy Networks, MTC, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, and universities.
- Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC)supportingPartner in Liverpool City Region Phoenix I project, contributing to sustainable pathway for commercial autonomous systems deployment.
- Peel Ports GroupsupportingStakeholder in Phoenix I project for maritime logistics drone applications in Liverpool City Region.
- SP Energy NetworkssupportingPartner in Phoenix I project focused on energy infrastructure drone applications.
- Liverpool John Lennon AirportsupportingStakeholder in Phoenix I drone technology Test and Development Area project.
- University of LiverpoolsupportingAcademic partner contributing Centre for Autonomous Systems Technology (CAST) and Virtual Engineering Centre expertise to Phoenix I project.
- Liverpool John Moores UniversitysupportingAcademic partner with drone research group contributing to Phoenix I drone development initiative.
- AerobilitysupportingPartnership with UK disabled flying charity offering disabled people opportunity to fly and participate in aviation-based activities. Drone Major Group sponsors and supports Aerobility initiatives including Armchair Aurora and Armchair Airshow events.
- Veterans' FoundationsupportingPartnership supporting Armed Forces veterans in their battle with mental health issues through physical challenge programme including Channel crossing, ultra-marathons, and mountain expeditions.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Drone Major competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- PrecisionHawk: Drone data, analytics, and managed services for enterprise and CNI clients. Comparable multi-service drone advisory model with enterprise and infrastructure customer overlap.
- Altitude Angel: UK-based UTM and airspace management company focused on enabling BVLOS and automated drone operations. Directly comparable to Drone Major's Digital Tethering™ thrust and shared regulatory engagement with the UK CAA.
- Heliguy: UK-based drone supplier, training, and enterprise services provider. Comparable in its blending of advisory, training, and procurement support for UK enterprise and public-sector drone adoption.
- DroneDeploy: Commercial drone software platform for mapping, inspection, and asset management across construction and enterprise. Comparable platform-and-services model targeting enterprise drone operations and procurement-driven buyers.
- Drone Industry Insights: Independent drone market intelligence and advisory firm producing industry reports and consultancy. Closely mirrors Drone Major's "independent advisor" positioning and intelligence-report revenue stream.
- AirMap (now part of Blade): UAS airspace intelligence and integration platform serving enterprise and public-sector drone operators. Overlaps with Drone Major's procurement-and-integration model and BVLOS enablement focus.
Broad incumbents
- DJI Enterprise: Largest global drone manufacturer operating across consumer, prosumer, and enterprise markets. Indirectly comparable as a dominant supplier in any enterprise drone procurement context Drone Major serves.
- Skydio: Leading commercial drone manufacturer with strong autonomy and BVLOS capabilities. Competes indirectly through the autonomy/Digital Tethering™ layer but focuses on hardware rather than the advisory/procurement model.
- Skyward (Verizon): Enterprise drone operations management platform owned by Verizon. Comparable to Drone Major's procurement and managed services for organisations scaling drone programmes, with the backing of a large incumbent.
Emerging players
- Flyability: Specialist in indoor and confined-space inspection drones. Adjacent / partially overlapping supplier offering in the inspection portion of Drone Major's buyer-supplier network.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Drone Major social profiles
Digital presenceDrone Major financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Drone Major leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Drone Major funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Drone Major 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 Major
What does Drone Major do?
Drone Major operates as an independent advisory, design, and delivery service for unmanned systems across defence, critical national infrastructure, government, and commercial sectors. The company runs a digital procurement platform connecting buyers with a global network of 7,000+ drone suppliers across 90+ countries, complemented by consultancy, manufacturing, system integration, testing, training, and fleet management services. The proprietary Digital Tethering™ technology enables safety-assured beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations in atypical airspace.
Is Drone Major a public or private company?
Drone Major is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Drone Major founded?
Drone Major was founded in 2017.
Where is Drone Major based?
Drone Major is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Drone Major make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Consultancy Services are the primary driver. The others are manufacturing Services, procurement Services, platform Services and fleet Management & Operations.
Who are Drone Major's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are PrecisionHawk, Altitude Angel, Heliguy, DroneDeploy, Drone Industry Insights and AirMap (now part of Blade). Broad incumbents are DJI Enterprise, Skydio and Skyward (Verizon). Flyability is listed as an emerging player.
Does Drone Major have an API?
No public API is recorded for Drone Major.
What industry is Drone Major in?
Drone Major's product category is Drone Advisory and Procurement Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAIAO, UAS Integration, Certification & Compliance Systems (Remote ID, Detect-and-Avoid), with a secondary code of IMABAIAL, UAS Ground Control Stations (GCS) & Remote Operations Infrastructure. Its NAICS code is 334511 and its SIC code is 3812.