What TOA Systems does

TOA Systems is a private U.S.-based provider of lightning detection hardware, networks, and real-time lightning data, operating from Satellite Beach, Florida, with a headcount of 11-50 employees. Its core offering is a global lightning detection platform built around the Global Lightning Network (GLN) of over 500 patented sensors, anchored regionally by the United States Precision Lightning Network (USPLN), its North American Precision Lightning Network (NAPLN) extension, and GPATS in Australia. Customers include governments and meteorological bureaus, power companies, airlines, news broadcasters, and mining operations, all of which use TOA's data for severe storm warnings and operational safety.

The company's underlying technology is a time-of-arrival (TOA) based lightning detection system centered on the patented LPS-200 sensor, which captures broadband VLF-to-VHF signals and uses onboard digital signal processing, dual-band LF/VHF operation, and GPS-referenced precision timing to characterize and discriminate cloud-to-ground and intra/inter-cloud strokes. Raw sensor data is relayed to a Central Analyzer Processor (CAP) that computes strike positions, with results flowing into an SQL cloud database, a real-time display system, and a sensor performance analysis tool that supports remote firmware and FPGA-based hardware reconfiguration. The methodology is positioned as superior to magnetic direction finding (MDF) systems due to liberal siting criteria and lower total cost of ownership.

TOA generates revenue through a mix of recurring lightning data subscriptions and feeds (data monetization), custom network deployment and managed services, LPS-200 sensor hardware sales, and tailored data products integrated into customer infrastructure. Distribution is enterprise sales-led ([email protected]) with a "Contact Us Today" call-to-action, supplemented by a Custom Networks channel-partner model (e.g., GPATS in Australia), integration of third-party sensor data (e.g., Pelmorex in Canada), and data delivered as a stream or API into customer infrastructure. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is quote-based.

Name

TOA Systems

Legal name

TOA Systems

Website

https://toasystems.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TOA Systems operates a global lightning detection network of 500+ patented sensors, selling real-time lightning data, custom networks, and LPS-200 sensors to governments, meteorological bureaus, utilities, airlines, broadcasters, and mining operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Lightning Detection Network and Data Services

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415), Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance (81121)

SIC

Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Instrumentation, Controls & Automation (DCS/PLC/SCADA, SIS, Metering) (EUAEAFAC)

Keywords

• Lightning detection sensors
• Lightning data services
• Real-time weather data
• Severe storm warnings
• Custom detection networks

Headquarters

HQ city

Satellite Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Lightning Data Subscription / Feed: Recurring revenue from delivering real-time lightning data as a stream that customers ingest into their own infrastructure, providing global or regional coverage (GLN, USPLN, NAPLN, GPATS).
2. Custom Network Deployment & Operations: Revenue from partnering with clients to design, deploy, and maintain public or private lightning detection networks, including software/technology to process raw data and ongoing network maintenance.
3. Sensor Hardware Sales (LPS-200): One-time/equipment revenue from sale or provisioning of LPS-200 sensors and supporting antennas for use in custom or partner networks.
4. Tailored Data Products & Services: Revenue from integrating TOA's lightning data into customer-tailored products and services for specific business and market needs (e.g., aviation safety, severe storm warnings, utility operations).

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

TOA Systems operates a Global Lightning Detection Network of over 500 patented sensors that delivers accurate, reliable real-time lightning data worldwide, discriminating between cloud-to-ground and intra/inter-cloud events with strike strength and precise location. The company sells the patented LPS-200 sensor hardware, real-time lightning data streams, custom public/private lightning detection networks, and tailored data products integrated into customer infrastructure for severe storm warnings and operational safety.

Product overview

TOA Systems is a single-vendor global lightning detection platform built around the Global Lightning Network (GLN), a worldwide sensor network of over 500 patented sensors delivering real-time, high-accuracy lightning data. The platform spans multiple regional sub-networks — the United States Precision Lightning Network (USPLN) and its North American Precision Lightning Network (NAPLN) extension, plus GPATS in Australia and the South Pacific — all feeding into a unified processing and delivery architecture. The LPS-200 sensor serves as the foundational hardware, capturing broadband VLF-to-VHF lightning signals and relaying raw data to the Central Analyzer Processor (CAP), which applies time-of-arrival mathematics to compute strike locations. Outputs flow into an SQL cloud database archive, a real-time display system for visualization, and a sensor performance analysis tool for network management. Data can be streamed into customers' existing infrastructure, and TOA also builds and maintains fully custom public or private lightning detection networks as a service offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• United States Precision Lightning Network (USPLN): A ground-based lightning detection network of over 170 sensors covering the continental United States, launched in 2004 to provide high-performance lightning detection at a lower price point.
• North American Precision Lightning Network (NAPLN)
• Global Lightning Network (GLN)

Products and services

• Global Lightning Network (GLN) TOA's flagship global lightning detection network providing real-time lightning data worldwide with extensive coverage in Europe, South America, Australia, South-east Asia, and oceanic/continental regions. Built on over 500 patented sensors with broadband VLF-to-VHF detection.
• United States Precision Lightning Network (USPLN) Regional sub-network launched in 2004 with over 170 ground-based lightning detection sensors providing comprehensive coverage of the continental United States, delivering timely and accurate lightning data for business and consumer needs at a lower price point.
• North American Precision Lightning Network (NAPLN) Geographic extension of USPLN incorporating over 70 additional sensors, including Pelmorex Lightning Detection Network sensors, to supply lightning data for Canada, Alaska, the Caribbean, Mexico, and parts of Central America.
• LPS-200 Lightning Sensor TOA's precision lightning sensor with onboard digital signal processing and LF/VHF dual-band operation. Uses a high-sensitivity, low-noise wide-band receiver, digital filters and equalizers, and precision GPS time reference to characterize and categorize each lightning stroke, distinguishing cloud-to-ground from cloud-to-cloud strikes. Designed for liberal siting on existing structures with flexible communications.
• Custom Lightning Detection Networks End-to-end service offering for public or private custom lightning detection networks, providing the software and technology to process raw lightning data along with ongoing network maintenance, enabling partners to control a complete lightning detection network.
• Tailored Lightning Data Products and Services Integration of TOA's lightning data into customer-tailored products and services for specific business and market needs such as aviation safety, severe storm warnings, and utility operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 patented sensors deployed worldwide forming the Global Lightning Detection Network
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• The Weather Network's Pelmorex Lightning Detection NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPelmorex's sensors are incorporated into TOA's North American Precision Lightning Network (NAPLN), which extends USPLN coverage into Canada, Alaska, the Caribbean, Mexico, and parts of Central America. Pelmorex contributes sensor infrastructure that TOA integrates into its overall data product.
• GPATSflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGPATS operates a precision lightning detection network in Australia using TOA's LPS-200 sensors and VHF technologies, with planned expansion to 150+ sensors. Described as the largest precision lightning detection network in Australia, GPATS is a regional channel for TOA's technology and data in the Australian market.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Pelmorex (The Weather Network / MétéoMédia): Pelmorex operates the Pelmorex Lightning Detection Network, which already partners with TOA by contributing sensors to the NAPLN. It is also a broader weather media and data provider and could in principle develop or acquire competing lightning capability, making it both a partner and potential competitor.
• DTN: DTN is a broad environmental and weather data provider serving agriculture, energy, aviation, and logistics with operational weather intelligence. Its weather feeds increasingly incorporate lightning data, making it an adjacent incumbent that bundles lightning intelligence into larger enterprise contracts.
• Campbell Scientific: Campbell Scientific designs and manufactures rugged scientific measurement instrumentation and data loggers used in meteorological and environmental networks. It is comparable as a sensor-hardware platform that competes for the same government, research, and meteorological customer procurement budgets as TOA's LPS-200 hardware.

Emerging players

• Biral: Biral designs and manufactures lightning detection sensors and atmospheric measurement instruments for aviation safety, meteorology, and research. It is comparable to TOA at the hardware-sensor level, particularly for aviation and meteorological customers.
• Meteomatics: Meteomatics is a high-resolution weather data and API platform serving aviation, energy, and enterprise with global forecasts and observed weather, including lightning intelligence. It is comparable to TOA on the data-feed / API delivery model targeting enterprise buyers.
• Boltek: Boltek builds lightning detection hardware and real-time visualization tools aimed at smaller-scale and prosumer markets (storms, industrial safety). It overlaps with TOA at the sensor and visualization layer, though at smaller scale and lower enterprise focus.
• Vortex (Part of DTN after acquisition): Vortex provides high-resolution weather and environmental data services, including lightning and severe-storm analytics, to energy, renewables, and outdoor operations. It is comparable to TOA as a data-as-a-service provider serving utilities and operational safety use cases.

Direct peers

• Vaisala: Vaisala is the global incumbent in lightning detection, operating the GLD360 global lightning network and selling precision lightning sensors and data feeds to meteorological, aviation, and energy customers. It is the most direct competitor to TOA's Global Lightning Network across product, customer base, and use cases.
• Earth Networks: Earth Networks operates the Earth Networks Total Lightning Network (ENTLN), a global ground-based lightning detection network delivering real-time data to enterprise, government, media, and aviation customers. It competes head-to-head with TOA in streaming lightning data and severe-storm alerting.

Regional players

• All Weather Inc. All Weather Inc. is a U.S.-focused provider of meteorological systems, AWOS aviation weather sensors, and turnkey weather observation networks. It is comparable to TOA as a hardware-and-systems provider serving aviation and government weather customers in the U.S. market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/toa-systems-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 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 TOA Systems