DroneMobile
DroneMobile is a connected car platform providing LTE-based smartphone remote start, security monitoring, GPS tracking, and dash camera hardware and subscriptions. It is sold through 2,000+ authorized dealers and Best Buy across North America to consumers, families, and small fleets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersKent, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What DroneMobile does
DroneMobile is a connected car platform that provides LTE-based smartphone remote start, security monitoring, GPS tracking, and dash camera functionality for vehicles. The platform is operated as a brand by Firstech, LLC, a privately-held connected car company founded in 1998 and headquartered in Kent, Washington, which also owns the Compustar and Momento brands. The technical architecture pairs LTE telematics hardware (the Drone XC LTE dash camera, X2MAX/X2/X1R in-vehicle modules, and the battery-powered Drone XT magnetic GPS tracker) with a smartphone app on iOS and Android, a desktop web application, and a subscription software layer; AT&T LTE Cat-M connectivity and Canadian carrier relationships (Rogers, Telus, Bell) provide the wireless backbone, and CAN bus integration enables advanced vehicle health telemetry (fuel level, tire pressure, odometer, diagnostic trouble codes).
The hardware lineup is priced from $49.99 (KP2 Keyless Touchpad) to $379.99 (Drone XC dash camera), with core modules at $99.99-$149.99, and is sold through more than 2,000 authorized dealers across the U.S. and Canada plus Best Buy retail channels. Recurring revenue comes from subscription plans spanning Basic ($5.99/month) through Ultimate ($49.99/month), with 3-year and 5-year prepaid terms, plus a tracking-only tier starting at $11.99/month, streaming add-ons for the dash camera, and a 10% multi-vehicle discount at 10+ vehicles. Customer segments include individual vehicle owners, families with multiple drivers (including teen drivers), and small-to-medium business fleets, with a horizontal segmentation approach across consumer and SMB use cases.
DroneMobile firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DroneMobile
- Legal name
- Firstech, LLC.
- Website
- https://dronemobile.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- DroneMobile is a connected car platform providing LTE-based smartphone remote start, security monitoring, GPS tracking, and dash camera hardware and subscriptions. It is sold through 2,000+ authorized dealers and Best Buy across North America to consumers, families, and small fleets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where DroneMobile is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kent
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
DroneMobile business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales: One-time purchase of LTE modules, dash cameras, GPS trackers, and accessories through authorized dealers and Best Buy
- Subscription Services: Recurring monthly/annual subscription plans (Basic, Premium, Premium Plus, Ultimate) required for LTE connectivity and feature access. Also includes Tracking-Only and Streaming add-on plans. Multi-vehicle discounts available for 10+ vehicles.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Basic - Vehicle control without GPS tracking |
| Subscription | Monthly | Premium - GPS tracking with trip history |
| Subscription | Monthly | Premium Plus - Enhanced tracking with breadcrumbing |
| Subscription | Monthly | Ultimate - Real-time tracking with 30-second updates |
| Subscription | Monthly | Tracking Only - GPS tracking without vehicle control |
| Subscription | Monthly | Tracking Plus - Enhanced tracking for XT device |
| Subscription | Monthly | Streaming - Live video streaming for XC dash cam |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
DroneMobile product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DroneMobile provides an aftermarket connected-car platform combining LTE telematics hardware modules, dash cameras, and GPS asset trackers with a smartphone/web app and tiered subscription plans. The platform enables remote start, lock/unlock, security monitoring, real-time GPS tracking, and live video streaming for vehicles (and other assets), compatible with more than 95% of vehicles on the road. Hardware is installed primarily through a 2,000+ authorized dealer network in the U.S. and Canada, while recurring subscriptions are sold direct via the DroneMobile website.
Product overview
DroneMobile is a connected car platform built by Firstech, LLC (Seattle, WA) that enables smartphone remote start, security, and GPS tracking for vehicles. The platform is organized as a modular hardware + subscription architecture. The core product lineup consists of LTE telematics modules — Drone XC (LTE dash camera with 2K QHD recording, live streaming, and security integration), Drone X2MAX (LTE + GPS + Security module with CAN bus vehicle health diagnostics for U.S.), Drone X2 (LTE + GPS for North America), Drone X1R (LTE with 3G fallback for Canadian carriers), and Drone XT (battery-powered magnetic GPS + environmental sensor tracker for assets). Add-on accessories include the KL1 KeyLocker (in-vehicle secure key storage), KP2 Keyless Touchpad (PIN-based windshield entry), and three XC add-on cameras (IR1 interior infrared, RC1 rear, and EC1 exterior). All hardware is managed through the DroneMobile smartphone app (iOS/Android) or desktop web application, controlled via subscription plans (Basic, Premium, Premium Plus, Ultimate, plus Tracking-Only and Streaming add-on tiers). Family Sharing allows unlimited drivers per account, and Fleet management provides multi-vehicle bulk commands, reporting, and driver monitoring.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Drone XC: LTE-connected dash camera with 2K QHD recording, live streaming, and security monitoring capabilities.
- Drone XT
- Drone X2MAX
- Drone X2
- Drone X1R
- KL1 KeyLocker
- KP2 Keyless Touchpad
Products and services
- DroneMobile Connected Car Platform Connected car platform combining LTE telematics hardware modules, a smartphone app (iOS/Android), Apple Watch/Wear OS apps, Siri integration, and a desktop web application. Enables remote start, lock/unlock, trunk release, panic, auxiliary controls, real-time GPS tracking, geofencing, breadcrumb trail recording, and CAN-bus vehicle health diagnostics.
- Drone XC LTE Dash Camera
Quantifiable outcome
- 90% battery current draw reduction compared to standard dash cameras during parking mode
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use DroneMobile
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
DroneMobile technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability6 records
Feature7 records
DroneMobile partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- AT&TcoreAT&T provides LTE Cat-M connectivity for DroneMobile hardware, enabling unlimited range telematics for vehicle control, GPS tracking, and asset tracking across the Drone XT, X2MAX, and other modules
- Best BuycoreBest Buy serves as a retail channel partner selling Drone XT and Drone XC products both online and in physical stores across the U.S.
- CompustarcoreDroneMobile products integrate with Compustar remote starters and alarms. Both brands are owned by Firstech, LLC, creating a complementary product ecosystem
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
DroneMobile competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Compustar: Sister brand under Firstech, LLC offering remote starters and car alarms that integrate natively with DroneMobile modules. Most directly comparable on product and customer base, though Compustar focuses on install-side hardware while DroneMobile adds the connected subscription layer.
- MotoSafety: GPS tracking and teen driver monitoring device sold primarily through insurance partnerships. Competes in the family-driver / monitoring segment of DroneMobile's addressable market.
- Bouncie: Plug-and-play OBD-II connected car device targeting consumers, families, and small fleets with GPS tracking, driving behavior, and vehicle health — directly overlapping DroneMobile's X2MAX and tracking subscriptions at lower price points.
- Viper (Directed Electronics): Aftermarket car security and remote start brand with smartphone control via its SmartStart platform. Closest direct competitor in the consumer aftermarket remote-start + telematics category sold through authorized dealer networks.
- Autobrain: After-market OBD-II device offering family/fleet tracking, teen driver monitoring, and diagnostics via subscription — overlaps with DroneMobile's Premium/Premium Plus tiers and family-sharing positioning.
- LoJack (CalAmp): Vehicle theft recovery and telematics service historically sold through dealerships. Comparable on vehicle security and tracking use cases, particularly for individual owners and small fleets.
Emerging players
- Mojio: Cloud-based connected car platform that turns OBD-II devices into telematics subscriptions for consumers and small fleets. Directly comparable business model (hardware + subscription), though smaller scale and primarily digital distribution.
Broad incumbents
- Geotab: Large fleet telematics provider with GPS tracking, vehicle health diagnostics via CAN, and driver behavior analytics. Overlaps with DroneMobile's X2MAX CAN-based diagnostics and fleet management capabilities, but serves enterprise fleets.
- Verizon Connect: Fleet telematics offering GPS tracking, dash cams, and fleet management from a major carrier — overlaps on fleet GPS and vehicle data, but enterprise-oriented with much larger scope than DroneMobile.
- Samsara: Enterprise-focused fleet telematics and IoT platform with dash cams, GPS, and vehicle health — overlaps with DroneMobile's fleet management and Drone XC dash cam, but targets mid-market and enterprise fleets rather than consumers/SMBs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
DroneMobile social profiles
Digital presenceDroneMobile financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DroneMobile leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
DroneMobile funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DroneMobile 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 DroneMobile
What does DroneMobile do?
DroneMobile provides an aftermarket connected-car platform combining LTE telematics hardware modules, dash cameras, and GPS asset trackers with a smartphone/web app and tiered subscription plans. The platform enables remote start, lock/unlock, security monitoring, real-time GPS tracking, and live video streaming for vehicles (and other assets), compatible with more than 95% of vehicles on the road. Hardware is installed primarily through a 2,000+ authorized dealer network in the U.S. and Canada, while recurring subscriptions are sold direct via the DroneMobile website.
Is DroneMobile a public or private company?
DroneMobile is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was DroneMobile founded?
DroneMobile was founded in 1998. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is DroneMobile based?
DroneMobile is headquartered in Kent, United States, in the North America region.
How does DroneMobile make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are subscription Services.
Who are DroneMobile's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Compustar, MotoSafety, Bouncie, Viper (Directed Electronics), Autobrain and LoJack (CalAmp). Mojio is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Geotab, Verizon Connect and Samsara.
Does DroneMobile have an API?
No public API is recorded for DroneMobile.