National Center For Autonomous Technologies (ncat)

Name

National Center For Autonomous Technologies (ncat)

Legal name

National Center for Autonomous Technologies

Website

https://ncatech.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Autonomous Technology Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Drones, UAVs & Aerial Robotics Programs (EDAMADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Learning & Training Content Development (EDAGAKAC), Workshops, Webinars & Live Masterclasses (MPACALAD), Certification & Credentialed Creator Programs (MPACALAI)

Keywords

• Autonomous technology education
• Workforce training programs
• Drone technician training
• STEM curriculum resources
• Educational equipment lending

Headquarters

HQ city

Thief River Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. NSF ATE Program Funding: Primary funding from National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (ATE) grants. The center received a $7.3M NSF ATE investment in June 2024 and previously received grants including DUE 1902574, DUE 1501629, and DUE 1700615.
2. Workshop and Training Fees: Revenue from professional training programs such as the Trusted Operator cohort training at $1,595 per participant.
3. NASA Grant Funding: Grant funding from NASA to investigate Advanced AirMobility maintenance training requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NCAT develops, curates, and disseminates autonomous-technology educational resources — including curriculum, equipment lending, professional development workshops, and industry-recognized training standards — for two-year colleges, high schools, and industry partners across the air (UAS/drones), land (automotive), and sea (maritime/ROV) domains. Its flagship programs include DRONETECH Educator Workshops, the Trusted Operator Program, a lending library of UAS and sensor equipment, and the Program Finder Map Tool for locating autonomous-tech educational programs nationwide.

Product overview

The National Center for Autonomous Technologies (NCAT) operates as a national resource hub for autonomous technology education and career pathways, led by Northland Community & Technical College. NCAT does not offer a single unified product but rather provides a portfolio of interconnected educational services including equipment lending (Lending Library with various drone and robotics kits), educator professional development (DRONETECH workshops), student programs (STEM camps and competitions), certification pathways (Trusted Operator Program), and resource tools (Program Finder Map). The core offering centers on four pillars: LEAD (professional development), CONNECT (workforce engagement), INSPIRE (STEM engagement in education), and SERVE (educational resources).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DRONETECH Educator Workshop (Foundational)

Quantifiable outcome

• 7,000+ students participate annually in MATE ROV competitions across 41 regional events
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, flagship, core and key.

• SenterasupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Provides UAS Operations Internships for students interested in precision agriculture, agronomy, and remote sensing.
• Northrop Grumman CorporationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Established first technician-level internship program at Northrop Grumman Grand Sky site in 2020. Aviation maintenance with UAS focus internships for Northland students.
• Northland Community and Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for NCAT. Northland Aerospace has provided 60+ years of aviation education and launched the nation's first UAS Maintenance Program in 2010. Leads UAS and Geospatial Information Technology technician education.
• St. Cloud State UniversitykeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool of Public Affairs leads in Geographic Information Systems Technology. Supports DRONETECH Educator Workshops and conducts workforce assessments and heat maps for autonomous technologies industry.
• Minnesota State Transportation Center of ExcellencekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 2013, focused on developing skilled workforce for high-demand transportation careers in Minnesota. Promotes collaborative communication and best practices sharing.
• MATE Inspiration for Innovation (MATE II)keyStrategic or Co-development Partner501(c)(3) non-profit supporting MATE ROV competition. Global ROV competition with 7,000+ students participating annually in 41 regional events worldwide.
• Center for Advanced Automotive Technology (CAAT)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerBased at Macomb Community College, Michigan. Launched in 2010 to meet expanding automotive industry workforce needs through curriculum development and educational opportunities.
• GeoTech - National Geospatial Technology CenterkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated at Jefferson Community and Technical College, Kentucky. Produced the Geospatial Technology Competency Model for U.S. Department of Labor. Developed ten model courses and concept modules.
• FAA UAS Northern Plains Test SiteflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated in North Dakota region known as Silicon Valley for UAS developments. Part of ecosystem including University of North Dakota, Grand Sky UAS Business Park.
• Grand SkykeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerNation's first UAS Business Development Park. Part of the regional UAS ecosystem in the Northern Plains with access to large-scale UAS platforms.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• UAV Coach: Commercial drone training provider offering Part 107 prep courses, drone business courses, and a job board. Comparable as an autonomous-tech education provider targeting the same student and workforce-development audience, but with a private, for-profit commercial model.
• Pilot Institute: A private drone-pilot training company focused on Part 107 certification and commercial drone operator courses. Comparable because it competes for the same learner segment NCAT serves, but offers paid online courses rather than free grant-funded curriculum and competitions.

Broad incumbents

• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: A leading aeronautical university offering bachelor's and master's degrees in Unmanned Aircraft Systems Science and related fields. Comparable to NCAT because both train UAS technicians and pilots, but Embry-Riddle is a degree-granting four-year institution with broader scope and substantially larger resources.
• University of North Dakota (UND Aerospace): Home of the first UAS-focused degree program in the U.S. and a major partner in the Northern Plains UAS ecosystem alongside NCAT. Directly comparable as a UAS technician and operator training provider, though UND is a research university with broader degree programs.
• Kansas State University Polytechnic (UAS Program): Operates a well-known UAS degree and certificate program with a dedicated flight operations lab. Comparable to NCAT because it is a higher-education UAS training provider competing for the same student pipeline of UAS technicians and operators, though at the four-year degree level.

Others

• ASTM International (NCATT Committee): Standards body that absorbed NCATT and with which NCAT co-developed the UAS Maintenance Technician standards. Comparable as a co-standards-setter rather than a direct competitor, but its standards committee work directly overlaps with NCAT's curriculum authority.
• AUVSI (Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International): The largest industry association for unmanned systems and autonomy, which runs the Trusted Operator certification program that NCAT's Trusted Operator Cohort trains instructors to deliver. Comparable as an ecosystem enabler rather than a direct educator, with overlapping standards influence.

Direct peers

• REC Foundation (Robotics Education & Competition Foundation): Operator of the Aerial Drone Competition and other K-12 robotics competitions, partnered with NCAT to launch the first REC Aerial Drone Competition. Comparable as a competition and curriculum provider competing for the same educator and student audiences in autonomous technology.
• VEX Robotics (Robotics Education & Competition Foundation): Supplier of robotics curricula, hardware, and the VEX Robotics Competition used in K-12 and post-secondary STEM. Directly comparable because NCAT hosts and promotes VEX Robotics events and uses similar competition-driven engagement with students and educators in autonomous-tech education.
• MATE Inspiration for Innovation (MATE II): 501(c)(3) that runs the global MATE ROV Competition (7,000+ students, 41 regional events), which NCAT hosts and sponsors. Directly comparable as a nonprofit providing ROV/maritime autonomous technology education and competitions to students and educators.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/autonomoustech1
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCO_o002aRQhGSh1VZpK6srg
• Facebookfacebook.com/nationalcenterforautonomoustechnologies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ncatech
• Instagraminstagram.com/ncatech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 National Center For Autonomous Technologies (ncat)