TEAD

What TEAD does

TEAD Co., Ltd. (TEAD株式会社) is a privately held Japanese drone solutions provider headquartered in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, founded in April 2016 by president Kuwabara Kenshiro (桑原 賢史朗). The company positions itself as a one-stop unmanned aircraft solutions provider covering planning, development and manufacturing, sales, maintenance, practical pilot training, and operations support. Its service portfolio spans infrastructure inspection, contract/business support, solutions consulting, pilot training through the registered TEAD Drone School (TEAD教習所), aircraft development and sales, and maintenance. The company serves three primary use-case segments: Japanese agriculture (pesticide spraying and field operations), infrastructure inspection (bridges, buildings, and structures), and robotics/research (motors and components for academic and commercial robotics).

TEAD's product portfolio combines proprietary Japanese-market hardware with authorized third-party distribution. Proprietary products include the AC101 multi-rotor agricultural drone designed for Japanese farming conditions, the R150 RTK-controlled 150 kg-payload agricultural rover for complex terrain including orchards, and the TA408-F auto-flight agricultural spray drone. The company also designs Remote ID transmitter and receiver devices (12 g, ~6-hour operation, 2-hour charging) compliant with Japan's revised Civil Aeronautics Act unmanned aircraft registration system enforced from June 20, 2022, and a newly announced 920MHz band transmitter and exploration receiver showcased at Japan Drone 2026. As the official Japanese distributor for T-MOTOR and CubeMars, TEAD resells motors, propellers, ESCs, and robotic actuators to drone builders and robotics developers.

Revenue is generated through two intertwined streams: hardware sales of proprietary drones, Rovers, Remote ID devices, and T-MOTOR/CubeMars components, and professional services including infrastructure inspection, maintenance, pilot training course fees, and contract operations. The company operates a direct-to-consumer go-to-market model, with inquiries handled via website contact forms and a dedicated drone school functioning as both a customer acquisition channel and a recurring training revenue source. Marketing is concentrated in content (the '知恵袋' / Bag of Wisdom blog) and broad social media presence across Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and TikTok, supplemented by appearances at industry events such as Japan Drone and the SICE System Integration Division Lecture. The company is privately held with no disclosed funding, revenue, or ownership structure beyond its founder.

Name

TEAD

Legal name

TEAD株式会社

Website

https://tead.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TEAD is a Japanese drone solutions company offering proprietary agricultural drones, Remote ID compliance devices, and authorized T-MOTOR/CubeMars motor distribution, complemented by pilot training, maintenance, and infrastructure inspection services for Japan's agriculture, infrastructure, and robotics sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Takasaki

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (Drones and Components): Sale of proprietary drone products including AC101, R150, TA408-F agricultural drones, as well as third-party products such as T-MOTOR and CubeMars motors, propellers, ESCs, and Remote ID devices.
2. Service Operations: Infrastructure inspection services, contract/business support services, solution services, pilot training services (TEAD教習所), and maintenance/inspection services.
3. Drone Pilot Training: Registration-based drone pilot training institution providing initial licenses and renewal training. Revenue from training course fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

TEAD is a drone solutions company that designs, manufactures, and sells unmanned aerial vehicles including the AC101 and TA408-F agricultural multi-rotor drones and the R150 RTK-controlled agricultural rover, along with a Remote ID transmitter/receiver for regulatory compliance. The company is also the authorized Japanese distributor for T-MOTOR and CubeMars motors, propellers, ESCs, and robotic actuators. Beyond hardware, TEAD offers infrastructure inspection services, contract operations, pilot training through its TEAD Drone School (TEAD教習所), and maintenance and operational support for UAVs across agriculture, infrastructure, and robotics applications.

Product overview

TEAD is a drone solution company offering a portfolio of products and services for unmanned aerial vehicles. The product lineup includes: (1) Remote ID transmitter/receiver solutions for regulatory compliance, (2) T-MOTOR and CubeMars brand motors, propellers, ESCs and actuators as an authorized distributor, (3) AC101 and TA408-F agricultural multi-rotor drones for crop spraying, and (4) R150 RTK-controlled agricultural rover for field operations. These products are complemented by services including infrastructure inspection, pilot training (TEAD Drone School), aircraft development and sales, maintenance, and operations support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TEAD教習所: Drone pilot training school operated by TEAD, providing licensed drone pilot certification courses and renewal training services.

Products and services

• Remote ID Transmitter/Receiver Compact and lightweight remote ID signal transmitter and receiver, weighing approximately 12g with around 6 hours of operation and 2 hours of charging time, designed for regulatory compliance with Japan's revised Civil Aeronautics Act unmanned aircraft registration system enforced on June 20, 2022. Targets Japanese drone owners and operators required to broadcast remote ID signals.
• AC101 Agricultural Drone Japanese-made multi-rotor agricultural drone designed for crop spraying in Japanese farming settings, emphasizing lightweight construction, compact size, fuel efficiency, simple operation, and high maintainability while delivering high flight and spraying performance. Targets Japanese agricultural operators facing rural labor shortages and difficult terrain.
• TA408-F Agricultural Drone Agricultural multi-rotor drone featuring automatic flight mode and a dedicated companion app for support functions including flight path tracking and spray record references to deliver uniform spraying with reduced operator burden. Targets agricultural operators looking to streamline spray planning and execution with verifiable records.
• R150 Agricultural Rover RTK-controlled agricultural rover with precise navigation and spraying, featuring four-wheel drive and high-performance motors for powerful off-road performance with a maximum payload capacity of 150kg, suitable for flat fields as well as complex terrain including mountainous fields and orchards. Targets Japanese agricultural operators working in difficult terrain and orchards.
• T-MOTOR Products Distribution Authorized Japanese distribution of T-MOTOR brand motors, propellers, ESCs, and multi-copter related components for drones and UAVs, also covering robot applications. Sold via direct inquiry to TEAD's website contact form. Targets drone manufacturers, UAV builders, and robotics developers in Japan seeking established motor brands with local support.
• CubeMars Products Distribution Authorized Japanese distribution of CubeMars brand robot motors and actuators, including high-torque QDD motors, for robotics and automation applications. CubeMars operates as the sister brand of T-MOTOR. Targets academic institutions, researchers, and robotics companies developing humanoid robots, collaborative robots, exoskeletons, and research platforms.
• 920MHz Band Transmitter & Exploration Receiver New 920MHz band transmitter and exploration receiver for drone applications, announced by TEAD and scheduled for public display at Japan Drone 2026. Targets drone operators and search applications requiring 920MHz band transmission and exploration capabilities in Japan.
• Drone Pilot Training (TEAD Drone School / TEAD教習所) Registered drone pilot training institution providing initial pilot licensing and renewal certification courses for Class 1 and Class 2 drone operators in Japan, including theory and practical training components. Course fees are tiered (e.g., Class 2 renewal no violations 11,000 JPY; Class 1 renewal with violations 47,850 JPY) with a separate 2,850 JPY government certificate issuance fee. Targets individual drone pilots and commercial drone operators in Japan needing certification or renewal.
• Infrastructure Inspection Service Drone-based visual inspection service for infrastructure including bridges, buildings, and other structures requiring inspection. Targets infrastructure inspection service providers and infrastructure asset owners in Japan who need to avoid difficult access for human inspectors, mitigate safety risk at heights, and reduce traditional inspection costs.
• Maintenance and Inspection Service UAV maintenance and inspection service covering TEAD's drone products and airframes, providing post-sale support for operators. Targets owners and operators of TEAD agricultural drones and rovers requiring ongoing upkeep.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• KUWABARAminorOthersListed as an associated company on TEAD's website, indicating a business relationship or affiliated company status.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• DJI: World's largest consumer and commercial drone manufacturer, with deep agricultural (DJI Agras) and infrastructure inspection lines. Directly competes with TEAD's AC101/TA408-F spraying drones and dwarfs it in scale, R&D, and pricing power.
• Skydio: US-based autonomous drone leader focused on inspection, public safety, and defense. Competes in the same infrastructure inspection use case as TEAD and represents a well-capitalized Western benchmark for autonomous flight technology.
• Yamaha Motor (FAZER/YMR-08): Japanese industrial conglomerate with a long-running agricultural unmanned helicopter business. Comparable to TEAD as a Japan-headquartered competitor in agricultural spraying with deep distribution and brand equity.
• Parrot SA: European drone manufacturer with enterprise/commercial lines (Anafi) serving inspection, mapping, and agriculture. Comparable as a multi-product drone OEM competing in similar enterprise use cases as TEAD.

Direct peers

• ACSL: Japanese-listed domestic drone manufacturer specializing in industrial UAVs for infrastructure inspection, logistics, and security. Closest Japanese-headquartered peer competing with TEAD in inspection services and government contracts.
• Terra Drone: Japanese drone services and solutions company offering inspection, surveying, and UTM services. Comparable to TEAD in offering inspection, solutions, and operations support services within the Japanese market.
• Senbonzakana (Prodrone): Japanese commercial drone manufacturer focused on industrial-grade UAVs for inspection and specialized payloads. Comparable Japanese-headquartered competitor in the same enterprise UAV niche as TEAD.
• Nileworks: Japanese agricultural drone startup focused on rice field spraying and autonomous flight. Closely comparable to TEAD's agricultural spraying business, particularly with AC101 and TA408-F for Japanese rice and field crops.

Emerging players

• XAG: Chinese agricultural drone manufacturer specializing in crop spraying and mapping drones. Directly competes with TEAD's AC101 and TA408-F in agricultural spraying use cases, particularly in Asian markets.
• Autel Robotics: Chinese drone manufacturer offering consumer and enterprise UAVs with strong camera/inspection capabilities. Comparable to TEAD as a competing commercial drone OEM with global ambitions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TEAD_official
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TeadJp
• Facebookfacebook.com/tead.co.jp
• Instagraminstagram.com/tead.official
• TikToktiktok.com/@tead_official

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 TEAD