Gradient Lens

What Gradient Lens does

Gradient Lens Corporation, doing business as Hawkeye Borescopes and Hawkeye Precision Borescopes, is a US-based manufacturer of precision optical borescopes for industrial visual inspection. The company designs and builds rigid, flexible, and video borescopes spanning diameters from 0.95mm to 6.35mm, with proprietary HD imaging technology, servo-driven articulation, and modular interchangeable insertion tubes. Its product portfolio includes the Pro Rigid series (straight-path industrial inspection), the Q2 HD, V3 HD, and X-PLOR HD flexible video borescopes, the Micro Q2 for sub-1mm medical and aerospace inspection, and Q2 Dual View for forward/side-view switching. Supporting products include LTC/LEC borescope cameras and lighting accessories.

The company's primary customer base is aerospace maintenance professionals (turbine engine and aircraft inspection), with secondary segments in automotive, medical device manufacturing, metal casting, power generation, and welding. Gradient Lens operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce model with same-day shipping for orders placed before 2pm US Eastern Time, NET 30 credit terms for qualified business buyers, and a parallel reseller channel. The business model is purely transactional hardware sales with one-time purchase pricing; the X-PLOR HD is priced at $2,495. The company is privately held, bootstrapped (no disclosed funding rounds), and is relocating headquarters to Phelan, California effective January 1, 2026. The Hawkeye brand self-positions as the leading US borescope manufacturer, emphasizing made-in-USA production, comprehensive product range, and warranty-backed professional-grade quality.

Name

Gradient Lens

Legal name

Gradient Lens Corporation

Website

https://gradientlens.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gradient Lens Corporation (Hawkeye Borescopes) is a US-based manufacturer of precision industrial borescopes (rigid, flexible, video, and micro-diameter) serving aerospace, automotive, medical device, power generation, metal casting, and welding inspection professionals via direct e-commerce and resellers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Borescope Hardware Sales: One-time purchase of borescope equipment including rigid, flexible, and video borescopes. Products range from industrial rigid scopes to advanced HD video borescopes.
2. Accessories and Lighting: Sales of complementary products including LED light sources, UV light sources, video couplers, and camera accessories
3. Borescope Camera Systems: Custom camera systems combining borescopes with monitors, software, and laptop/PC integration for specific inspection needs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Gradient Lens Corporation designs, manufactures, and sells Hawkeye-branded industrial borescopes for visual inspection of confined spaces across aerospace, automotive, power generation, welding, metal casting, and medical device manufacturing. Its product portfolio spans Pro Rigid Borescopes (1.85mm–6.35mm), HD Video Borescopes (X-PLOR HD, V3 HD, Q2 HD, Dual View), Micro Flexible Borescopes down to 0.95mm diameter, and LTC/LEC borescope camera systems, supported by lighting and accessories.

Product overview

Gradient Lens Corporation (GLC), operating as Hawkeye Borescopes, is a US-based manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of industrial borescopes and cameras. The product line includes three main categories: Rigid Borescopes (Pro series with diameters from 1.85mm to 6.35mm for straight-path inspection), Flexible Video Borescopes (including X-PLOR HD, V3 HD, Q2 HD, and Dual View models ranging from 0.95mm to 6mm with articulation capabilities), and Micro Flexible Borescopes for small component inspection. Supporting products include Borescope Cameras (LTC/LEC) and accessories. These products serve aerospace, automotive, power generation, metal casting, welding, and precision machining industries for visual inspection of engines, turbines, castings, and precision parts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hawkeye V3 HD Video Borescope: Premium HD video borescope with touchscreen display, servo-driven articulation, WiFi streaming, and integrated illumination. Featured for aircraft and turbine engine inspection.
• Hawkeye Q2 HD Video Borescope
• Hawkeye X-PLOR HD Video Borescope
• Hawkeye Pro Rigid Borescopes
• Hawkeye Micro Q2 Video Borescope
• Hawkeye Q2 Dual View HD Video Borescope

Products and services

• Hawkeye Pro Rigid Borescopes Rigid borescopes with diameters ranging from 1.85mm to 6.35mm offering high resolution and durability for straight-path industrial inspection in metal machining, tube welding, and casting inspection.
• Hawkeye V3 HD Video Borescope Premium HD video borescope with Micro HD camera, 5.5-inch touchscreen display, servo-driven articulation, WiFi streaming, integrated illumination, and interchangeable tips for aircraft and turbine engine inspection.
• Hawkeye Q2 HD Video Borescope HD video borescope with 6X resolution improvement over predecessor, 4-way joystick controlled articulation, 4-hour battery life, and interchangeable insertion tubes in 2.8mm, 3.9mm, and 6mm diameters.
• Hawkeye Q2 Dual View HD Video Borescope Dual-view video borescope with both 0-degree and 90-degree cameras in one unit, allowing users to switch between forward view and side view with the press of a button for engine and weld inspections.
• Hawkeye Micro Q2 Video Borescope Compact video borescope with only 0.95mm diameter providing crisp clear images with 8x better resolution than fiberoptic borescopes, capable of capturing still images and videos for inspecting small-diameter medical devices, aerospace, and automotive parts.
• Hawkeye X-PLOR HD Video Borescope Entry-level professional HD video borescope with HD imaging, precise 360-degree articulation, and ruggedized construction for quality control, maintenance, and field service teams across aerospace, automotive, casting, manufacturing, and power generation.
• Hawkeye Micro Flexible Borescopes Flexible borescopes including video and fiber options for inspecting small components with curved paths; side view options available as small as 1.8mm for small orbital welds.
• LTC/LEC Borescope Cameras Borescope camera systems available in HDMI/USB and USB variants, customizable with video monitors, software, or laptop integration to suit specific inspection needs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8x better resolution than fiberoptic borescopes with Micro Q2 technology
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lenox Instrument Company: Lenox Instrument Company manufactures industrial borescopes including rigid, flexible, and video borescopes for inspection of turbines, engines, and pipes. Direct peer in industrial borescope manufacturing.
• Waygate Technologies (formerly GE Inspection Technologies): Waygate Technologies is a major industrial inspection solutions provider offering borescopes, remote visual inspection, and NDT equipment. Direct competitor in industrial visual inspection with overlapping aerospace and energy end markets.
• Evident (formerly Olympus Industrial): Evident, spun out of Olympus, is the global market leader in industrial borescopes and video borescopes, serving aerospace MRO, automotive, and power generation. Directly comparable as a borescope manufacturer with overlapping product categories and customer base.
• Titan Tool Supply: Titan Tool Supply manufactures and distributes borescopes and industrial inspection equipment, including video borescopes for industrial and security applications. Comparable US-based borescope distributor and manufacturer.
• RFQ Company (Inspection Technologies): A US-based provider of industrial inspection equipment and borescopes, serving aerospace, power generation, and manufacturing customers with comparable product offerings.
• Karl Storz Industrial: Karl Storz Industrial offers rigid and flexible borescopes for industrial inspection applications including engine and turbine inspection. Direct peer in borescope manufacturing with similar precision optical technology.

Broad incumbents

• Mitutoyo: Mitutoyo is a global leader in precision measurement and metrology equipment. While not a direct borescope specialist, it is a broad incumbent in industrial inspection and dimensional measurement serving overlapping customers.
• Olympus Medical (now part of Evident): Olympus has a substantial medical endoscopy division with strong borescope heritage and brand. While not directly competing in industrial segments, it represents the broader Olympus/Evident ecosystem relevant to Gradient Lens's positioning.

Emerging players

• iX Cameras: iX Cameras specializes in high-speed imaging and machine vision, with overlap in industrial inspection imaging technology. Comparable as an emerging player in industrial imaging with adjacent use cases.

Regional players

• NDT Global: NDT Global provides non-destructive testing and inline inspection services using advanced imaging technology. Comparable as an adjacent inspection service provider serving similar industrial customers in pipeline and energy markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LensGradient
• Facebookfacebook.com/Hawkeyeborescopes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gradient-lens-corp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Gradient Lens